


Marvel x Capcom: Black - The Calling

by LostInTheThicket



Series: Marvel x Capcom: Black [1]
Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Street Fighter
Genre: Dimension Travel, Friendship, Gen, Kung-Fu Fighting, Major Original Character(s), Marvel 616/MCU Crossover, Mentor/Protégé, Minor Original Character(s), Post-Third Strike
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2019-07-14 11:11:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16039298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostInTheThicket/pseuds/LostInTheThicket
Summary: An unconventional new S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, ready to prove himself, travels to the world of Street Fighter to retrieve an artifact of devastating power. With a mysterious and evil organization gunning for him, all of his skills will be put to the test.Teaming up with both Marvel and Street Fighter characters, romance, fighting, and adventure await as the fists will fly!( The first of the Marvel x Capcom Black series, these stories are about young agents of SHIELD travelling between dimensions to strengthen the bond between two worlds. )





	1. No Good (Start the Dance)

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: Street Fighter and all of its related characters belong to Capcom. Marvel and its related characters belong to - you guessed it - Marvel... and Disney. Mickey and Elvira belong to me. Marvel and Capcom also own my soul. 
> 
> I decided to create a new story after my one-shot First Impressions. You'll see more than a glimpse of Mickey's origins here. This is set after the events of Third Strike with a bit of influence from Street Fighter V. Story spoilers for A Shadow Falls are inbound, so y'all are warned. Third Strike will be spoiled, too. If y'all care, of course. And as always...
> 
> Thank you for reading. :)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I decided to create a new story after my one-shot First Impressions. You'll see more than a glimpse of Mickey's origins here. This is set after the events of Third Strike with a bit of influence from Street Fighter V. Story spoilers for A Shadow Falls are inbound, so y'all are warned. Third Strike will be spoiled, too. If y'all care, of course. And as always...
> 
> Thank you for reading. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BTW, RIP Keith Flint from the Prodigy.
> 
> You helped start up a fire, alright. <3

_**Track 1:** _

_**No Good (Start the Dance)** _

* * *

 

Dark, cloudy skies roam over the streets of Toronto on a rainy night. The sidewalks are wet, stained with puddles of rain. With lights highlighting city blocks, people from all walks of life make their way inside homes and buildings, going about their own lives.

But for one young man, his destination is a bit unorthodox. Walking up the stairs of the remnants of a run-down but serviceable school, he navigates through different rooms, checking some electronic music supplies in one before making his way towards another.

_"It's good to be home."_

Taking off his shabby coat, **Michaël 'Mickey' Villanueva** (27) shakes off the water from his bouncy, brown curls, scanning the hallway with a weary but nonchalant gaze. Sensing no one's out to get the drop on him, a sigh of relief eases his worries. Entering the classroom, he sets some groceries and some chicken wings on a nearby desk. Mickey relaxes near a window as he watches the rainfall, writing in his personal S.H.I.E.L.D. journal while he listens to his music.

 _' _Michaël Villanueva, here. I have one hell of a mission, man,'__ Mickey echoes in his mind, jotting down his thoughts. _'These are my o_ _ _bjectives, should I choose to accept it: pass through the Divide; gather information, find the location of, and retrieve Daimonic; return to point of entry for S.H.I.E.L.D. extraction.'__

Mickey pauses, looking through the window once again. The rain comes down somewhat hard, typical for evenings in springtime. As some lo-fi hip-hop fills his ears with delicate melodies, he continues.

 _'It's quite something_ _ _…_ being in a different world.'_ Mickey pauses for but a moment. _'_ _You think you're a lone wolf in your own world, right? Heh, well, you've never experienced loneliness in another dimension._ _ _…_ It takes a hell of a lot out of ya not to go insane.'_

Suddenly, Mickey turns after hearing small footsteps, noticing a familiar sight making her presence known: a small, black-and-white beagle. Wagging her short tail, she makes her way through the classroom. The beagle hops on a chair before Mickey holds her in his hands with a tired smile on his face.

"Hey, Ellie, your favourite buddy's home," he says. "How's my princess of the night doing?"

 **Elvira** , aka **Ellie,** licks Mickey's face before she lets out a soft whimper.

"It's okay, meine Freundin. It's just rain," Mickey utters with a deep sigh, petting her. "It's not _that_ bad."

As he places Elvira in his lap, Mickey lightly strokes her head while watching the area around the school. The front of the school is quiet and unassuming like most nights; it was dark, save for a large street light just on the edge of the playground. He focuses on the silence, as constant as his quest. Meditating for a moment, Mickey starts to enjoy it, appreciating a rare lull in his turbulent life. However, as he goes back to his journal, the still, dark surroundings - and the shadows that lurk within - aren't the only thing on his mind.

 _'It's been two years now,'_ Mickey jots down. _'This world is crazy. This life is crazy! Every time I feel like I'm makin' progress, I've been gettin' into fights with fighters from all over the world. Some of them for no damn reason! They'll either try to fight me for the hell of it, arrest me, or kill my ass. They're weird as hell…'_

Mickey takes out a phone and views a picture of him posing with a vivacious, young woman with a long, red headband inside a train. There are light bruises all over their faces, enjoying their time with amusing expressions. He smiles.

_'But_ _a few of them aren't the worst. Sakura's pretty damn fun to be around. She's sweet, but she hits like a goddamn truck sometimes.'_

Mickey chuckles as he massages his jaw. He sees a spot to his right, reminiscing about a past memory before tending to his journal.

 _'There's also that strange woman from Shadaloo that talked like a robot. She was fast. Tough as hell, too. Plus, she's_ _ _…_ kinda beautiful, not gonna lie.'_ He smiles sheepishly before he shakes his head, getting back to finishing his notes. _'_ _…I hope she's okay._ _I haven't seen her again since that night_ _.'_

Suddenly, Mickey hears footsteps, faint and seemingly unassuming. He quickly looks through the window to spot two hooded figures arriving at the school, standing ominously in front of its doors, their hoods dark purple with magenta trims. The figures slowly raise their heads before they stare at Mickey, proceeding into the school.

Sensing the impending doom, Mickey sets Elvira down. _'_ _However, things are gettin' dicey for me lately. Got into it through texts with someone_ _ _…_ strange a week ago. Might be the one that entered the Triskelion, but I'm not sure. The same people are here now. Been here ever since. B _ut it ain't so bad.'__

Mickey looks at Elvira before taking another quick glance at the space the figures were standing in. _ _  
__

__'_ _ ___…_ At least I still get to have my fun. Be back soon. Mickey V., signing off.'_ _

Setting the journal down, Mickey catches Elvira's attention. "Alright, meine Freundin. Remember your happy place?" Elvira barks, worried but slightly wagging her tail in response. "Good. Go there, Ellie. Go, go, go."

He guides the eager beagle to another, more secure classroom before he closes the door. Now with Elvira safe, a look of determination washes over Mickey's face as he makes his way to the foyer. Attempting to catch the intruders by surprise, he flips near a railing and uses it as a slide to meet them. With his feet slamming down on the ground, Mickey rises and sees the hooded, black-clad figures beginning to approach him.

"Hey, guys," Mickey says, donning a wide, toothy grin. "Why can't we be friends, huh? Please? I fought a number of people since my time here and, honestly, it's getting kinda ridiculous n-"

Suddenly, the attackers run towards Mickey, poised and ready to strike.

Leaping over the figures, Mickey whips out his phone and plays an adrenaline-pumping track before putting it in his pocket. A flash of red dances across his eyes as he shifts into his fighting stance, ever flowing and ever-changing. Before the fight can begin, though, a resonant voice whispers in Mickey's mind.

**_'No. Don't even give them another second to breathe.'_ **

_'You're not in control now. I am._ _¡Cállate la boca!'_ Mickey retorts, hearing a low, displeased growl that leads to silence. _'Let me do my thing.'_

"Well, I tried! You two wanna dance?" A mischievous twinkle almost seems to form in Mickey's eyes. "Let's dance."

**(Now Playing: Firestarter by The Prodigy)**

As one of the mysterious figures lunges at Mickey, he expertly weaves to the side before he rushes to the other figure. Out of the blue, Mickey leaps up and knees the figure in the chest, using the momentum to pull their head down, rolling over his opponent's back. Wincing in pain, the bruised figure groans and shuffles to the side.

Mickey focuses in on the figure's pained groans with his hearing. It's an older man, unusual - and uncommon - for a fighter in his world. He raises an eyebrow.

_Huh._

Sensing Mickey's hesitation, the other figure moves in for a counter-attack. The two combatants exchange fast and frenetic strikes, their striking and dodging like that of a dance of death. As Mickey spots a large dagger coming out of his opponent's sleeves, he anticipates this, evading the attack aimed for his head. His moves are like of a trained boxer, bobbing and weaving swipes while measuring his opponent's hand-to-hand skills.

Mickey chuckles, his eagerness and ego brimming to the surface. "Gotta be quicker than that!"

Behind him, the wounded assailant tries for a sneak attack. Hearing the shuffling of feet, Mickey swerves, spins to face the assailant's back, and thrust-kicks the hobbling figure behind the left knee. The other figure yells, running towards Mickey for some revenge. The hood is removed, revealing the face of a young woman.

Mickey hesitates for a second. _Huh? Strange._

"Well, sorry, lady! Kinda wanted to try this out." He giggles a bit, using the assailant's momentum to launch her over the top with a German Suplex. "Still respect you more than your friend over there!"

"Ugh!" The woman lands on her stomach, twirling briefly in the air before connecting with the creaky floors. "S-shut up!" she finally says, her pained voice painting her to be a woman in her late 20s.

"Why are you two attacking me?! I'll stop if you answer me."

"I...N-no! I won't say a word!"

Mickey performs a kip-up to get back up on his feet. "Fine, be difficult!"

The wounded man snarls before he leaps at Mickey with two daggers. Using an old pro-wrestling trick, Mickey wheels him around with an Irish Whip. After seeing the figure whip around to face him, Mickey shows his acrobatic side. He takes a quick step before turning and flipping in the air, kicking the wounded figure as he does so.

And at that moment, the world seems to slow down.

Time seems to stand still.

Mickey, in mid-air, sees the two targets line up and shouts the magic words _…_

**_"La Gota!"_ **

A circular, concussive beam of blue and white energy quickly forms before it rockets out of his hand with alarming speed. It connects and detonates with devastating force, pushing the male assailant back. As the woman gets back up, she's swiftly knocked prone as her accomplice is hurled into her. The woman, sensing Mickey's skills, runs out of the school's foyer.

"Wait! _…_ Hold on!" Mickey shouts.

The woman doesn't hesitate but she takes a second to look back at Mickey before staring at her accomplice. She curses, shaking her head before leaving the school's grounds.

Softly panting, Mickey walks to the injured man lying unconscious on the ground. He checks his pulse and sighs. "He's alive. That's always a good sign," he whispers. "At least I didn't kill 'em. _…_ Eh?"

Leaning closer, he sees a weird locket, taking it off the man's neck. Feeling a strange triangular metal piece on his fingertips, Mickey spots his phone on the ground.

"Time to phone a friend," he utters before a sigh of relief ends the chaotic scene.

* * *

**Sakura's Dorm Room -** **the University of Tokyo;** **Bunkyō,** **Tokyo, Japan**

Meanwhile in Tokyo, in a single dorm room filled with adorable toys, baubles, and pictures of fighters she's met, **Sakura Kasugano** wakes up to find her phone vibrating nearby. With her headband still on, Sakura rubs her eyes.

 _'What's…Who's calling me?'_ Sakura ponders, rubbing her face. _'_ _And why now?'_

She responds to the call in Japanese, too tired to check the phone number. "Hello? Who's this?"

Suddenly, she hears a friendly but fatigued voice emerge from the phone.

" _…_ Buenas Noches, Sakura. It's me, Mickey."

Stunned, Sakura sits straight up, replying to Mickey in English. "Mickey?! What the heck's going on? You sound tired!"

She hears Mickey cough as he replies. "Nah, some _…_ dust in the air. I'll be fine. _…_ Hey, where are you right now?"

Sakura stammers a bit before standing up. "I-I'm still home in Tokyo, but I'm in my _…_ dorm room. I thought you travelled back to Toron-"

"Don't worry. Stay on the line."

"But why would I stay on…"

Suddenly, Sakura feels an odd vibration emanating from her phone. Dropping it to the ground with a panicked gasp, she sees a chromatic stream of energy with a vibrant tone pour out of the phone. Materializing from the stream, Mickey appears.

"Why did I try that out? And after a fight?" Mickey groans. "I'm so stupid _…_ "

Trying to say something, Sakura starts to speak but Mickey interrupts her. "Mick-"

"Hey, hey. No time to talk. I trust you. Look, we _…_ we gotta head back to Toronto."

Sakura looks confused. "How? What?! Why?"

Mickey opens a window and smiles sheepishly, raising his eyebrows. "Uh, heh, I can explain."

Astonished and a bit groggy, a feisty Sakura crosses her arms. "You have _got_ to be kidding me," she says.

* * *

_**Who were the figures attacking Mickey? What will Mickey and Sakura do? And what's the Divide and Daimonic? Tune in next time for Marvel x Capcom: Black - the Calling.** _


	2. Step Into A World (Street Fighter's Delight)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last time on MxC: Black - The Calling, Mickey Villanueva - a super-powered agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. - is assigned to recover 'Daimonic', a powerful artifact, and come back through something called 'the Divide'. After an altercation with two hooded assailants, Mickey calls his newest friend and ally Sakura Kasugano. Appearing in her dorm room, the two friends-in-arms meet once again in Tokyo...
> 
> BTW, if you would like to know, 'La Gota' simply means 'The Drop' in Spanish. Might give you a hint on Mickey's fav genre of music...

_**Track 2:** _

_**Step Into A World (Street Fighter's Delight)** _

* * *

 

On a rather cloudy afternoon in Tokyo, Sakura crosses her arms while she stares Mickey down.

"It's the weekend. My arcade's giving me a break from working extended hours all the time," Sakura groans, rubbing her eyes, two slightly noticeable bags under them. Somewhat tired and upset, she sways her hips to the side, shaking her head. She walks up to Mickey, getting in his face.

"I can tell," Mickey says, pointing to his own bags under his eyes. "But I wouldn't come here for no reason."

"So? I'm sorry for being mean, but _why_ should I jump out the window with you?"

"Oh, you're not jumping out. You're comin' with me." Mickey smiles.

"Whoa! Uh, okay, hold on. You're a pretty good fighter, but I'm enjoying some time off from work." Sakura flashes her own cheeky smile. "Besides, if you want a rematch, you don't have to be so strange about it."

Noticing that Sakura's still wearing her headband from their first encounter along with her cute panda sweater, Mickey laughs. "Yeah, okay, two things. A rematch? You're adorable, kid. _Adorkable,_ even..." He walks up to Sakura as he pats her head.

Sakura flails her arms in self-defence. "Hey! I'm _not_ a kid anymore, you know!" she pouts before she smirks. "You're not that older than me! I also kinda beat you last time."

Mickey dismissively nods. "Yeah, barely. Listen...I gotta tell you something." Now with his voice lower than usual, he leans closer to Sakura. "The other thing is, well, I'm kinda in some deep shit now-"

"Mickey-san!" Sakura gasps, hearing his crass language.

Mickey slumps, looking at Sakura with a look of disbelief on his face. "Sorry. I grew up in New York. Deep _trouble_. Better?" The two exchange a playful stare before they chuckle. Mickey shakes his head before continuing. "I'd love nothing more than to sleep my ass off, but I might be in over my head a bit."

"Really?"

"I can't believe I'm sayin' that, but yeah."

Sakura raises her eyebrows. Her body language is still tense, but she relaxes a bit. "What's going on?" Her face frowns a bit, worried about her newest friend. "Is something wrong?"

Watching her anxious gaze, Mickey places his hands on her shoulders. _Can't believe I'm doing this..._

"I don't know, but I think so. I might need some help. ...It's better if I show you. Do you trust me?"

From her time sparring with Ryu and other fighters, Sakura ponders, using her keen ability to sense a fighter's conviction. _Mickey could've asked anyone – especially Ryu – for help, but he chose me._ Perhaps it was the bond they formed or his new love of yakiniku talking, but as Sakura sees the desperation in Mickey's eyes, he sighs, ever the noble soul.

"Yeah, I guess so," she says, shrugging her shoulders. "You owe me in case I miss out on work, though!"

Mickey beams, slapping her shoulders. "I'll pay you!"

"Do you have money, Mickey-san?"

"Maybe." Mickey shrugs. "Eventually..."

Sakura scoffs. "Of course," she smirks. Suddenly, she sees a recent scar on Mickey's right cheek. She takes a small band-aid from her drawer and rushes over to help him. "Geez, what happened to you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Mickey says.

"Are you sure?" Despite being smaller, Sakura tries her best to cover the scar. "Are you getting into more fights w-"

"Yeeeeeees, 'sis'. Alright, come on!"

* * *

**(Now Playing: Step Into A World by KRS-ONE)**

Playing an energetic hip-hop track from a hidden device, Mickey wraps his arm around Sakura's arm and heads for a leaping start before he closes his eyes. He channels his powers, the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Focusing on Ellie and her familiar cries in the dark, his powers kick in...

It takes but a moment but he hears her! Faint and distant, but Ellie's cries are heard.

Mickey opens his eyes as a flash of blue and white energy appears. With Sakura beside him, they jump out of the window.

"Trust meeeeeee!" Mickey shouts as wisps of light start to form around them.

Streams of energy envelop the two fighters as they turn into blue and white wisps. The wisps slither and glide through the air as they quickly travel from Tokyo to Toronto. Onlookers stop and stare, amazed by the sight. Back in the abandoned school, the wisps move through a crack in the doors. The wisps materialize as the force of the energy reverberates through the school's foyer.

Sakura soon finds herself in a different part of the world in minutes, right within a strange place. A slightly decrepit school. To her, the school's colours are drab and dull, riddled with egg white and baby blue. The wooden tiles are creaky. It even seems that Mickey spent very little time improving the décor as some wallpaper nearby peels off the walls.

"What a place! With a little bit of elbow grease, though, this could look cool," Sakura mutters, looking around the foyer.

Without warning, the two hear a sound nearby. A commotion.

"Scheisse! No time to renovate, Sakura! C'mon, let's go!" Mickey shouts as he rockets up the stairs, skipping a couple of steps along the way.

Sakura quickly follows him as the two make their way to another classroom. They immediately see the same hooded man Mickey knocked out a while ago. Still injured, he spots Mickey and Sakura before he starts to lunge at them for a surprise attack.

Using the man's scream as his conduit, however, the same globe of energy appears in Mickey's right hand as he shouts...

" **La Gota!** "

From out of nowhere, Mickey quickly spots something blue from the corner of his eye…

" **Hadouken!** "

Sakura fires a super-quick Hadouken - blue and pink in colour - as both projectiles connect. The hooded man yells in pain before he tumbles over a desk and falls to the ground.

The song ends as the two fighters look at each other after a job well done.

Impressed, Mickey smirks before he gives Sakura a playful nudge. With a pleasant yet teasing smirk, she does the same to him before Ellie emerges. The three stare at the hooded man.

"You want me to tie him up?" Sakura says while she takes off her headband, moving closer to the assailant.

"Yeah, but no need for that headband," Mickey replies. "I got somethin' better. Let's head back to Tokyo."

* * *

Back in Tokyo, a tired Mickey and Sakura arrive in the latter's dorm room with Ellie and the assailant. With his hands and legs trapped in bubbles created from Mickey's sonic powers, the assailant is dropped to the floor.

Ellie barks while Sakura tries to calm her down. "He doesn't look so tough."

"True, but he doesn't fight fair," Mickey says, leaning down to see the assailant eye to eye. "Do you, mein _Kumpel?"_

He nudges the assailant as the assailant sits up straight. The man is middle-aged with salt-and-pepper hair. Despite his withered face, he looks quite strong for someone his age. He speaks softly and bluntly in a low, rumbling tone.

"The strong shall never be intimidated by the weak," the assailant utters.

"Easy for you to say!" Sakura shouts while she gives the beagle back to Mickey. "You're in no position to talk."

She motions for Mickey to get out of the way and takes the man's hood off. "Who are you? Why did you try to attack us?"

The ominous man chuckles at Sakura's indignation. Noticing the man's condescending nature, Mickey whistles and closes his fingers into a fist, shrinking the bubbles. Squeezing his hands, the bubbles cause the assailant to cry out in pain. Sakura covers the man's mouth before Mickey lets go. She notices a necklace on his person.

"Hmm, what's this?" Sakura smirks before she reveals the necklace. The end of the necklace is pyramidal in shape with an eye on one side. The assailant's eyes widen as he mumbles something incoherent under Sakura's hand. "Um, Mickey?"

Mickey sets Ellie down as he leans over Sakura. "Yeah?"

"I--Ow!" Suddenly, Sakura yelps as she checks her hand. "Ow! He bit me hard!" She winces in pain.

Angry, Mickey knocks out the assailant with a swift right cross, powered up by his powers. Ellie barks and whimpers as she paces towards Sakura, trying to lick any wounds. Sakura smiles and pets the helpful beagle before turning to Mickey.

"Ow. ...You didn't have to...Never mind. …You have any ideas?"

Mickey shakes his head. After a minute, Sakura has an idea, but she stares at Mickey with a weary look.

"Well, I might know someone that can help," she says, "But, Mickey…I have to know before I do. ...Why did they attack us? Why you?"

Mickey pauses. _Shit._ He stares into the young student's eyes. Coming here, his plan was a mission known only to him but now that he spots the assailant and the necklace, he looks at his friend. "

Sakura frowns before putting her hand on Mickey's shoulder. "I won't tell anyone," she whispers with a reassuring smile. "Trust me, 'kay?"

Mickey smiles. _I guess the cat's out of the bag..._

"Alright, but you ain't gonna believe me."

"After revealing your...little 'friend' you got, I'll believe whatever you say, Mickey-san."

"...Well, if you say so, Sakura. ...I'm not from here, that much ya know. But I'm...I'm from another world. As an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Sakura's eyes widen.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.? Wow. I guess it was true..."

Mickey winds back a bit. "Wait. ...What?"

* * *

Outside of the university's residence, a mysterious blonde woman in a finely-tailored black ladies' suit with a matching skirt looks on. Starting to make her way inside, her stare is as cold as ice…

* * *

_**What's the meaning of the mysterious necklace? Who's the ominous woman gunning for Mickey & Sakura? And how did Mickey become an Agent of SHIELD? Tune in and find out on another track of Marvel x Capcom: Black - The Calling!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna update this with more chapters whenever I can. Portal Pals is gonna be just around the corner, so I gotta get my mind right for that.
> 
> Less than three. :)


	3. Silver & Gold (Part I)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last time on The Calling, Mickey and Sakura meet once again as Mickey recruits her for their inevitable mission. After travelling back to Mickey's hideout, they quickly take care of one of Mickey's mysterious attackers. Back in Tokyo, they realized that the assassin may be part of a sinister group. It was at that moment when a woman with strange, cryokinetic powers made her way to Sakura's dorm room...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This two-parter will be in Mickey's perspective. Enjoy. ;)

_**Track 3:** _

_**Silver & Gold (Part I)** _

* * *

 

_Looking into Sakura's eyes, I didn't know what felt weirder to me. The fact that she knew about S.H.I.E.L.D. or what happened next. Man, it happened, like, a minute later. But let me tell you that it was a painful minute. I couldn't even describe it, but I'll try to…_

_Sakura and I had this hooded guy dead to rights, right? He was a creepy little bastard, but there was something off about him. Sakura felt it too because she looked at me with this scared look on her face. Suddenly, we felt a strange drop in temperature. I turned to Sakura as my body started to shiver._

_"Wait. …Heh, you know about-Yo, Sakura, you feel that?"_

_"Yeah, yeah, that's definitely not normal," she told me, shivering in her air conditioner-free dorm room._

_It wasn't cold in Tokyo, trust me. And judging by the look on her face, I thought I screwed up and unleashed a curse on the world by taking that man's necklace. ...No, I didn't. I wish I could be so lucky._

_As the room turned ice cold in about a minute, my eyes were heavy, and my focus was almost shot to shit. But even when I felt like a human popsicle, I couldn't forget a sight like the one I saw. I caught a glimpse of this well-dressed woman gliding across snow and ice like nothin'. Had her hand out like a dagger. It looked like it was encased in jagged ice._

_She was aiming for me and I knew I had to act fast._

_However, from the corner of my eye, all I saw was Sakura's body leaping in mid-air as she tried to protect me. Without thinking, I used whatever strength I had to create a part of my Sonic Bubble in front of us. We were safe from the surprise attack, but it wasn't enough to stop the momentum from knocking us out the window._

_I was too cold to even react, so all I did was hold on to Sakura to keep her safe. I had to. She's a good friend to me...like the little sis I kind of wish I wanted, y'know? She was safe from the fall, but all I felt was intense pain. And then, before you know it, my world went dark._

* * *

_...Most people often say that right before you die, your life flashes before your eyes. Heh. Well, if that were true, I need to tell the big man upstairs to give me the extended edition._

_I was out cold. While I was out, the next couple of memories I had were about my life. I dreamt I was back in Jamaica, Queens; I was turning 19 that day, so I decided to spend time over on a pizza place at 164th and 162nd with my old crew. Pizza's good, but eating the good shit? Living the good life?_

_You gotta take a little out of ya to get a lot in return. Fortunately for me, I had a bit of an advantage on my side._

* * *

_**(Now Playing: If I Ruled the World by Nas ft. Lauryn Hill)** _

_How did I get my powers?_ _…I honestly don't know how. I'm sorry. I can't remember enough to give you the specifics._

 _I can tell ya I'm not an Inhuman...or one of those mysterious mutants roamin' around my world. All I know was that I was in the middle of a freak thunderstorm and_ _…well, things got a little hazy after that._

 _I was_ _…fifteen. I had my powers when I turned sixteen if you could believe it._

 _I was mad because of something stupid and my dad snapped in German. I remember feeling anger and bitterness, my ears and brain feeling like they were about to split. And then_ _…_

_…_

_You know when you got the little voice in your head telling you to do things? Well, let's just say it grew a bit louder that day. Yeah._ _…I remember what happened next._

 _I_ _…I yelled, raised my hands, and the next thing I knew, all we saw was blue and white. Suddenly, I watched my dad's body flying down the stairs._

 _…I heard Papa crying out in pain. I was in disbelief. I saw my Mamá and she was so mad. She was so angry with me. I saw the fear in her eyes and I just locked myself inside my room. That was the first day I felt the walls closing in. I_ …

 _Hm?_ _…It means nothing, don't worry about it. It's my problem. Safe to say, it never left._

 _My dad? He's still alive, but he's never been the same since the incident. He could still talk and move his arms, but_ _…he could never walk again._

_I thought my parents would throw me out on my ass or call the police on me. So in my mind, I did the next best thing, the only thing I could do. One night when they were asleep, I kissed my Mamá on the forehead, looked at my poor old man, apologized, and then I ran away. I couldn't look them in the eye or be in that house after what I did._

_A couple of months and bad memories later, I hooked up with my boy David Romero - Two-Tone. Why that name? He gets creative with the colors of his guns. Yeah, he's a criminal. We got along because, well, we needed to stick together. Even back in 2007, the neighborhood didn't give a damn about 'troublemakers' like us._ _I still remember 'celebrating' my 18th birthday near a quiet alley down the block._

_"Two-Tone, when does it end, man?" I said to him, sitting on the corner hidden from everyone else._

_You know what he told me?_

_"¿A poco, güey? What are you talkin' about? Stop being a moody little shit."_

_He said that, dripping with his 'charm'. For a kid who was only a year older than me, he was rude as hell sometimes._

_"Dude, we gotta find a place, man," I said to him. "We've been robbing people just to make us full 'til the next day. It ain't gonna last. Hell, we ain't gonna last!"_

_"I know, man, I know," he said, smoking a cigarette. It smelled like portable death, but second-hand smoke was the least of my concerns. "That's why it's time for us to get an upgrade."_

_Hm, upgrade? Well, long story short, we used Two-Tone's connections to bring back a group with other 'no-good outcasts'. Las Calaveras. The Skulls. We terrorized Queens and other boroughs, sometimes branching out somewhere else. Money? Respect? You name it, we had it. Piece by piece. And if you messed with us, you messed with me._

_For some reason, Soundclash was my alias. They always used to call me that and I didn't know why, but it sounded cool, so I rolled with it._

_But_ _…I'd know why soon._

* * *

_**(Now Playing: Terror Squad by Zomboy)** _

_**(montage of Mickey and Las Calaveras' bank heists throughout Jamaica Queens)** _

_I was in a gang, yeah. Who could believe it, right? But it's the truth._

_For three years, we were criminals and got away with our crimes due to my abilities. I realized I can think quick on my feet with a great plan, a better crew, and some sound bombs. Especially if you had a tight soundtrack for robbin' people._

_In only two years, we earned enough to have our own digs away from prying eyes. Heat, water, a comfy bed, everything. I even had a room big enough to put all my old wrestling posters up on the walls, especially my favorite Screaming Mimi poster._

_Who's Mimi? A pro wrestler and ex-small-time supervillain. Sound powers, just like me. But they're a bit different. Screaming Mimi Schwartz. That's her name. Yeah, we're a bit alike. Trust me, you'll find out more about her soon._

_And no, no heroes stopped us. We were too good for our own good and they weren't a lot of them. They were too busy handlin' bigger shit. We had a run in with_ _…_

_Hmm? My sound bombs? Well, if you had powers, you'd know when to use them when the time is right. More on that later._

_I'll get back to telling you everything. After all, it's important._

* * *

_I freshened up in my room, slid into my fresh Tims, and got my headphones on. Like I said before, I was at my favorite pizza place on 164th and 162nd. My crew invited me there to talk about my last bank job. I thought that with the money I had, I can start livin' the good life. I didn't need to, but I thought I had one more run in me. Why not, right?_

_It wasn't until I had my first slice of pizza that I realized it wasn't a bank job. Two-Tone planned to hit up a corporation. A big one, too._

_"Brand Corporation or something," he said. "The word on the street is that they're a subsidiary of Roxxon with mad skeletons in their closet."_

_Two-Tone tossed me his phone with texts of an event going down in Manhattan. They were looking to showcase a high-tech, fully functional railgun meant for equipping troops. A secret meeting with investors, top-level customers, and heavy security. The ultimate heist._

_I was stunned. "No recoil? No sound? No heat?" I turned to Two-Tone with a dumb look on my face. "You serious about this?"_

_He nodded with a wide grin as two more people, a guy and a girl, chuckled. I'll get to them later._

_Two-Tone said, "Yup. Railgun's to be…'revolutionary', heh."_

_I found out that the device could swing for a million-dollar payday…maybe more. Finishing my pizza, I knew that if we pulled this off, Las Calaveras would be legends._

_"When do we start?" I said. I had a stupid, evil smirk on that day, but I seized the opportunity. Just like the Avengers down in Manhattan, lemme tell you, but I'll also get to that later, Officer._

* * *

_**(Now Playing: Look Who's Back by KOAN Sound ft. Foreign Beggars)** _

_With the crew, I headed down to Manhattan and slowly made to the building. It wasn't easy trying to infiltrate a skyscraper with one good entrance. Private security guards were everywhere, but I knew they had to stay connected to cover ground. With some self-training and experience, I could amplify my sound bombs with a wave of my fingers. Back then, that was the extent of my powers. Still, it was a useful trick._

_Near a safe spot, I threw one of my sound bombs and waved my fingers like one of those waterbenders from Avatar: The Last Airbender._

_What's that? It's a good show, don't worry._

_Anyway, I amplified the frequency on their microphones to the point where those guards were damn near incapacitated. Two-Tone, Hot Box, and Hush Puppy – the boy and the girl in the pizza place – had my back as we made our way through the chaotic distraction. From there, it was a simple matter of doing what we did best: make a scene and wreck shit up minus the details._

_The security's guns were nothing I couldn't handle. Do you know what happened to my dad, right? Yeah, the same thing that happened to Balrog and other fighters and criminals in your world. I learned I could hurl my sound bombs like grenades at other people._

_I called it my 'ace move'. La Gota._

_Damn it, shit! S-sorry! I-it does that when I say that phrase. It means The Drop in Spanish._

_Why? I don't know! I guess I can_ _…channel my powers through something. Probably my whole EDM/dubstep phase that I never got out of, but don't tell nobody._

_I'll tell you everything, I promise! I'll get back to my story._

_I dropped security left and right while I had their ears bleeding. This heist was easy, I thought. My crew thought so too, taking down super rowdy guards._

_My crew and I tore a path to the top of the building with surgical precision. We knocked more heads around and broke into the meeting. When we got there, I saw nothing but the elite's elite there. Men and women in well-dressed suits with money and influence. Even one of those guys could make me and my crew go to jail until our ghosts haunted the cells. Especially one that I identified right away as we snatched the prototype railgun: Tony Stark._

_It was at that moment we thought wrong._

_Stark was a damn genius and the kind of man that my mama wanted to marry. Hell, you probably would, too. He had it all: money, power, fame, even being one of the world's first modern superheroes. And an ego to match._

_But the only thing on my mind was getting mine. And when we made eye contact, he knew it too. He smiled at me. It was kinda terrifying, not gonna lie._

_"Well, I guess the jig's up," he said before activating something in his chest. The next thing I knew, his entire body was slowly encased in a suit of armor._

_'Oh, shit! It's Iron Man!' I screamed in my head._

_Two-Tone had the same idea. "¡Órale! Let's bounce!"_

_Without a second to waste, we hauled ass, making our way back down through the stairs. At the time, it was more exercise than I ever wanted to have in my life._ _I remember Hush Puppy yelling at us. "Go! Go! Go! Go, damn it!"_

_Who? Hush Puppy. She was one of the tallest in our crew at the time and she taught us free-running. She was a bit of a hard-ass, but she's cool. Plus, free-running is pretty dope and you should try it sometime, Officer. I'll talk about Hush Puppy more later._

_We vaulted over stairs, railings, and the occasional security guard until we got to the foyer. Little did I know we had a hell of a surprise waiting for us. As we made our way there, my crew stopped. I remember turnin' around as confused as I could be._

_"Guys! …What the shit? Get a grip and let's go!" I said._

_Without speaking, they all motioned for me to check out who was in front of me. Iron Man was hovering in mid-air with his repulsor blasts at the ready._

_"You know...these guys can't appreciate a good infiltration," he said through the mask. "We planned this whole thing out and these chumps ruin it in 30 seconds. Typical, am I right?"_

_It was at that moment I heard a familiar voice. "Yeah. Gotta give them an A for effort, though."_

_That was the first time I saw her. I mean, I've watched her wrestling matches all the time back in the day, but this was different. I can never forget that voice. She also looked different, but I recognized her right away. She was undercover, but that went out the window when Iron Man chased us. She had a decent-looking superhero suit, sweet hair, and pink wings of solid sound. She was obviously older than the last time I saw her, but there was no mistaking it._

_**Screaming Mimi,** aka my eventual mentor **Songbird** , was standing right in front of me._

_Not only that, she had a look that kind of made me shake in my boots, not going to lie. But there was a part of me that loved it. One of my idols was standing right in front of me. I remember acting like an idiot in front of my crew that day._

_"Heeey! Oh, shit!"_

_She looked at me like I was an idiot. ...Yeah, I know I was. That's fair._

" _ _Yo. …Ummm, holy shit. Uh, hi. You kinda sound familiar."__

_"Really?" she said. She had a silly smile on her face. I'll always remember that.  
_

_I nodded. "Back in the day, w-were you S-Scream—"_

_She chuckled and put her hand out. If I didn't steal an expensive, top-secret weapon that was probably illegal, I would've been on cloud nine after making her laugh._

_"Not anymore, kid. Name's Songbird, now. I believe you and your crew have something S.H.I.E.L.D. wants. Hands over your heads and we promise not to hurt you. Nice and easy."_

_She noticed my green and white headphones and smiled. They looked pretty dope. Hey, what can I say? She turned to Iron Man as he shook his head. Songbird smirked and shrugged her shoulders before turning to me._

_"After all, I wouldn't want to disappoint a fan."_

_**To Be Continued** _

* * *

_**What will happen next? How did Songbird become Mickey's teacher? How did Mickey go from bank robber to an Agent of SHIELD? Find out next time on MxC: Black - The Calling.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes: I really like Songbird. She is, perhaps, one of the most underrated Marvel heroes next to Cloak & Dagger. Her look, personality, and abilities were things that made her a perfect fit for Mickey. She'll be a nice foil for him, I think. Anyways, hope you enjoyed it. All feedback will be appreciated.
> 
> Be excellent to each other. Stay Golden. And of course... later days. - Thicket


	4. Silver & Gold (Part II)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last time on MxC: Black, we looked at Mickey's origins. Now, it's time to take a look at Mickey's origins as a hero and agent of S.H.I.E.L.D...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second part of a two-parter w/ Mickey's POV. All feedback will be greatly appreciated. :)
> 
> CRAPPY NINJA EDIT: Re-edited (that a word?) this heavily to make it fit as a 616/MCU AU kinda thing. It ties in a bit more with the MCU. Fun fact: Alexander Pierce created Avengers Academy in my world. Yup, _that_ Alexander Pierce.

_**Track 4:** _

_**Silver & Gold (Part II)** _

* * *

 

_In my world, there's a saying. "You gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run."_

_Kenny Rogers said that if you could believe it. Mama loved his music. I'd never forget hearing that song and taking that verse into account. It represented many moments in my life, but no moment was more relatable than staring down Songbird and Iron Man._

_Back in the foyer, I stared them both down. For the first time in a while, I was nervous. I knew my crew and I needed to haul ass, but I knew their abilities. They were all over the news. How could I not, right?_

_Iron Man was a genius, capable of creating suits that could withstand falling from space. And Songbird? Super-strong, flight, the ability to create anything out of sound. Plus, she was like me at the time: a supervillain. Seeing those wings up close stunned me, but I snapped out of it._

_I thought my sound bombs would be useless against her, so I followed my gut and I turned to my crew. "I'll cover you!" I screamed, summoning La Gota once again to kick up rocks and dirt. They were amplified, so it sent those two back just enough for us to escape._

* * *

_**(Now Playing: The Gambler by Kenny Rogers)** _

_We dashed right beside them as I peppered the spot around them with my sound bombs. As we made our way to the entrance, we spotted the same black-clad guards outside. And they were pissed. I unleashed a wave of bombs in their direction and made our way to our getaway van._

_"Holy shit!" I heard Hush Puppy right beside me. "Your bombs got a different color to them or something?"_

_Different color. Those words pinballed in my already frantic mind. I remember saying, "What the hell are you talkin' about?"_

_I heard Two-Tone in front of me as we hurried inside the van, making a quick getaway. He said, "Don't worry about that! Screw Manhattan traffic! We got what we need. It's time to let New York know who the hell we are!"_

_We shouted and hollered in happiness before we heard a familiar sound. It was all over the news on the radio, so we spent little time figuring out what it was: Iron Man's repulsor blasts. I heard Two-Tone curse in Spanish before zipping across alleyways and shortcuts, seeing streams of energy hit the asphalt and packed ice in front of the windshield._

_They were blue and pink. I ain't a scientist, but I knew that Songbird was right beside Stark, firing away. Two-Tone – cursing in Spanish the entire time, by the way – plowed through bikes, cars, and close calls with other people. We made our way back home in Queens, but Songbird and Iron Man were still on our tail._

_Finally, I heard the exasperation on Two-Tone's voice as he sighed. "Mierda! Look, there's no other option here. We gotta split!"_

_I scoffed a bit. "Split? Really?! You're gonna split the damn party?"_

_"You never split the damn party! Did you get shot in the head, my dude?"_ _That was Hot Box mirroring my doubt. He was stoic, but he always had a way of entering conversations. "You saw those two? They'll pick us apart!"_

_We all argued in Spanish until Two-Tone screamed, nearly dodging a blast that would've flipped our van end over end. "Damn it, this ain't up for debate! S.C., you and Hush Puppy create a diversion. Knock some heads if you need to. Just shake one of those pendejos off our tail!"_

_I looked at Hush Puppy and she tentatively nodded. "Alright, but what about you guys?" I told them._

_Hot Box lifted his head up. Behind the face mask, I saw his brown eyes and realized exactly what he and Two-Tone were planning. "Go. We got this…"_

_I leaned forward and stared at Two-Tone's face, slapping one of his chubby little cheeks. I said something that I always kept with me, even between worlds. My own little mantra. "Hey! We're here for this!"_

_They all nodded with confidence. I ain't the type to be a leader. I'm more of a second-in-command kinda guy. But, at times, it's nice to sort of step into the role, y'know?_

_I crouched forward with Hush Puppy and stared into her eyes. They were always odd. Blue with a bit of silver behind them. I noticed she was smiling behind her face mask. There was always something captivating about her. She was focused and intelligent, capable of always knowing what to say. It's like she had a plan before everyone else. She was a hard-ass, at times._

_I said that before! That's true. But...she was the moral compass, too. She kinda had to be._

_I remember her saying, "You ready, Mickey?"_

_I agreed and I said, "Let's do this!" The two of us immediately jumped out of the van after Two-Tone made a hard right_.

* * *

_It was January 2012. I remember it was in the afternoon and although it was winter, some packets of ice were on the ground. No snow, though. It was cold, but that's okay. …I hated winter for many reasons._

_We tried to make it look like we had the railgun as we darted from place to place. It wasn't until we entered an old Blockbuster that we were followed. The store looked like crap, but no one was inside._

_I didn't want to really hurt others. Threatening them? Yes. Torturing them? Eh, it depends. But until they really forced our hand, we weren't the type to kill people. ...It never happened, though. The rest, except H.P., thought it'd be messy. Guess we cared too much._

_...It was in that store that I saw the familiar pink wings. She was there._

_Hush Puppy shook her head, staring at me with her piercing gaze. "She ain't here for a meet-and-greet, Mickey," she whispered. Of course, she was right about that._

_I said, "I know, I know! She's just one person, okay? We can team up." I didn't want to hurt Songbird, but it was too late for a sneak attack. "We could always—"_

_"Always what? Get away?" Songbird glided through the window, searching for us. "There's nowhere in New York you two can run off to. Even if you did, you won't find a place safe enough to protect yourself from me."_

_"That so, huh?" I spotted Hush Puppy dart from aisle to aisle, using her dexterity to her advantage as she tried to talk shit. "Seems like we're doing a good job so far."_

_"That's only because you're a distraction." Maybe we weren't as smart as we thought because Songbird sounded very confident when she said that. "It's alright. Makes it easier for me. I'm only going to say this once."_

_I started to inch closer to Songbird, my fists at the ready. In my crew, I was the hand-to-hand specialist. Since I was small growing up, I kinda had to be since I was fighting bullies in Monterey and Queens. I heard her voice take on a more frustrated tone with each step. She was ready for a counterattack. I think she knew how our situation would end..._

_She had no idea._

_"You and your enhanced friend need to stop hiding…" I took a step. "Come out…" Another step. "And stop resisting. Besides, this place isn't soundproof."_

_As she spun around to face me, I did the one thing I told myself I'd never do. …I gave Gold…Songbird…a running enzuigiri. What's an enzuigiri? It's a step-up kick to the side or back of the head. But unlike what you see in pro wrestling, it wasn't 'fake'. I put some heat on it. The old me would've called me an asshole._

_He'd be 100% right. Kind of needed to be since shit went south…_

_"Shit… Sorry!" I said to her. Why the hell did I do that? Yeah, I don't know._

_I saw Songbird reeling back in pain, reaching for her cheek. "Ow! An enzuigiri?! The hell did you do that for, kid—" Suddenly, Hush Puppy tackled her to the ground, screaming for me to aim La...my sound sphere at her face._

_Unfortunately, our foe was quick on the uptake. "Like hell, you will!" Songbird formed a sonic hand that smacked Hush Puppy on the ceiling like a fly._

_I heard my crewmate cry out in pain as I tried to stomp Songbird's face in. Rolling out of the way, she evaded it. I caught Hush Puppy as she fell, turning to the sonic superheroine in front of me. I laid her down and walked right up to Songbird._

_She smiled. To this day, I still think she liked the idea of beating us up. "Two on one, huh? You jobbers are fighting dirty?"_

_"You started this handicap match, Birdie," I said._

_Yep, Birdie. That word turned into one of my nicknames for her, but she wasn't in the mood that day. Matter of fact, as soon as she heard that, she looked at me with indignation. Yeah, I'm smarter than I look. I know what that word means. Ask about me, heh._

_Anyways, she shot back. "Alright, I'm done being polite. …Stand the hell down or I'll make you!"_

_Her small 5'5" frame walked right up to all 5'11' of me. It was like she had something to prove. I went through a growth spurt that seemed to be hilarious to me because I smiled with my classic, toothy grin. I don't know why, but it wasn't gonna be good for me._

_"Or what, huh? Gonna yell at me real hard?" I asked her._

_The look on Songbird's face made that day for me. But don't say that to her now, okay? This is just a flashback._

_"You think this is funny?!" she said._

_That day, we had our first war of words. It never seemed to go away, but we're competitive. It's in our nature. Her eyes looked up into mine, like two billy goats lookin' to headbutt the hell outta each other._

_"A little bit…"_

_"Are you serious right now?"_

_"So what if I am? What are you gonna do about it?"_

_"Heh, kid, you're not even in my league."_

_"Oh, yeah?" I said to Songbird._

_"Yeah. What? Don't tell me I'm getting to you, tough guy."_

_"Listen up, Birdie…"_

_"Don't you ever call me that."_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Yeah."_

_Like an older sister, she was defiant. I wasn't backing down either. If she ain't scared, I ain't scared._

_"Look at you, punchin' above your weight class," I told her. "I've seen your matches. I've seen you on the news."_

_"Is that so? Well, you know what I can do to people. So, step off, asshole…" She pushes me._

_"Oh, I heard. Roxxon's secret supervillain criminal turned superheroine. I read up 'bout ya. What happened? Not good enough to be the champ, champ?" I push her back in return._

_"Don't push me." She pushed me back harder._

_That day, I felt…anger, more than usual. I wasn't totally angry, but it was like something else was. Someone else was. And it wanted out._ _What happened next was a blur. I remembered my voice changing._

_"_ _Or what? Huh? You ain't good enough to be a crook, either. Definitely ain't good enough t' be no hero, savin' bums off the street. You ain't a leader. Look at your stupid-ass face with your stupid-ass hair."_

_By the way, off the record, I thought her hair was kinda stupid, but it grew on me. Her hair's magnificent._

_"You ain't tough. Hell, you're just as broken as she is." Not of my own free will, I pointed to Hush Puppy and slapped Songbird around a little. She flared her nostrils at me, obviously furious. "Tch, look at ya. To think anyone can like someone like you…"_

_Songbird took a step back, her face looked like she wanted to punch a hole through my head. "What? What did you say?"_

_Why did I say that? Well, I don't know._ _At first, I was just making your typical hero/'villain' conversation and then I said that. It was stupid, right? Well, judging by how angry and spooked she was, it was. I remember my voice changing back to normal, but I had little idea why I said that._

_"Hey… What happened? What's with the funny face?"_

_As fast as I can react, Songbird slapped the taste outta my mouth and blasted me with a pink ram's head._

_"Shut up, you son of a bitch!" She yelled at me. I felt myself flying through the air like a ragdoll with the taste of blood in my mouth. I heard the wrath in her voice. "You don't know a god-damn thing about me!"_

_( **Now Playing: Soundclash by Flosstradamus & TroyBoi)**_

_I remember my phone playing that song. I was dazed and confused, calling out for those two girls. Something was happening._

_"Hush P-Puppy…Song-Songbird…"_

_"Shut up," I heard Songbird say as she was inching closer._

_"No…No, Mimi..."_

_"I said shut up…"_

_"Wait, that-that wasn't…"_

_"Shut up!"_

_"That's not me!"_

_Songbird grabbed me by the throat, fueled by anger. Talking to her wouldn't help._

_I looked around in a panic, wondering what's happening to me. I didn't know why I did what I did next. Maybe you could ask my less-than-better half next time…_

_I turned to a window, watching my hair and eyes turn into shades of red. Stunned, Songbird looked at me, confused as I was. I pleaded with her, a slight tear running down my face before that thing took over._

_"S-Songbird…please, M-Mimi. H-help me…"_

_Now realizing what's sort of happening, she leaned forward, half-pissed, half-worried. "W-what the hell's the matter with y—?"_

_Someone - not me, someone else – choked her, lifting her by the neck. All I thought was, "She's someone I looked up to. I still do. What the…?"_

_And that's when I heard him for the first time. "Oh, no, Boss. It's too late for that now. Hey, Birdie? …Scream for me."_

_I saw one of my fists deck Songbird through the walls of the store…and a few more buildings next to it. I turned to the window and called out, but it was like I couldn't come to the phone anymore. I was trapped in my own mind._

_All I heard him say was, "Don't worry, Boss. Let Soundclash take care of that hot mess over there for ya."_

_**Soundclash**. _

_Yep. That was my alias, but now I knew it was like an alter-ego I created._

_I didn't know who this asshole was, but he responded with, "I'm the asshole that's gonna bust you and your weak-ass friend outta this."_

_He answered immediately. It was messed up, right? It still is..._

_Hush Puppy sat still, silent the entire time. I...Soundclash turned and despite her bubbly, forceful personality, she looked at him like she saw this before._

_"Hey, H.P., how are ya? Missed me?" I heard him say._

_She was scared. ...Did he beat her? To this day, I...I still don't know. And I hate that I don't._

_Songbird emerged with her wings, speeding in my – no, Soundclash's – direction._

_What happened next was a blur. I was told that we fought. Matched blow for blow. She tried to snap me out of it, but I… Soundclash wasn't having it._

_"C'mon, kid! This isn't funny! You're going to hurt people!"_

_I called out to him. Him? Her? It? I didn't know. Stop this! Right now! No response. Please?!_

_I sensed the rage. The violence_ _. The aggression._

_It wasn't until blood was poured and cars were thrown that Hush Puppy tried to stop me. She tried to calm me down…and almost got slapped through a wall in the process._

_I heard Songbird cry out to me. "No! Please stop!"_

_As this…thing tried to walk over to her, I emerged. I wanted that thing to stop, I think. I guess I…woke up. "Erika?! What…What's going on? I…"_

_And it was at that moment, I surveyed the block. Cars were flipped, tossed upside down. Several people were injured. One of them, I learned, was critically injured. I looked at Hu… Erika on the ground. She was bleeding from her face after just one punch, tears running down her cheeks. She looked at me in fear. The same was true for Songbird as I whipped around to see her. She was frozen, alarmed that I possessed enough anger and strength to almost level a whole block._

_I spotted Iron Man nearby, sensing that Two-Tone and Hot Box were caught. At that moment, I realized I failed. But I didn't care about that. I wasn't myself. …I hated myself._

_I knelt down in front of Erika and for the first time in a while, I cried out in despair. I was angry. At who I was. …What I did. I let this…god-damn assclown inside of me and I let it do…that. …I lost control._

_Erika tried to console me, but it wasn't working. In the middle of that city block, I cried. I tried to apologize to Songbird, but she was frozen. On that day, I didn't see Songbird, leader of the Thunderbolts - you'll find that out soon - and soon-to-be member of the Avengers._

_Little did I know that on that day, I saw Melissa Joan Gold. A woman scared out of her mind._

* * *

_Break's over? Good. Back to my story, it is._

_After the fallout, my crew and I were arrested. Charged with a whole lotta shit I couldn't be bothered to remember. I didn't want to. I deserved my punishment. I was taken to a place called the Raft, an underwater prison for 'enhanced individuals'. I definitely didn't feel enhanced, that's for damn sure._

_My sentence was, like, 20 years. It would've been worse, they said. I only spent two years inside the Raft, but it was hell. I remembered a bit about it. As you can guess, I was running on autopilot throughout most of it. When I turned 21, I noticed three people walking up to my cell. One of them I couldn't believe…_

_"E-Erika?!"_

_I saw Hush Puppy – Erika Andrade's her name, by the way – in a S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform. "What the shit?"_

_She had a look of pleasant anticipation on her face as she looked at the second person I noticed. One I knew all too well: Songbird._

_"S-Songbird? Mimi, what the hell?"_

_She barely smiled a little bit. She wasn't entirely pleased to see me, of course, but she was there. The third person, though? I couldn't look him in the eye, but that's because I knew a lot about him seeing what he did in Manhattan with the Avengers…_

_He was Captain fuckin' America. Steve Rogers, superhero god. And he greeted me. Yeah! Me! I know! That's the one f-bomb you'll get outta me, but it fits._

_…He smiled at me. "Hello, son," he said to me._

_I was only six feet tall at the time, but I felt like an insect next to him. I wanted to die. I wanted to wither. Why did I deserve to have Captain America, out of all people, greeting me?_

_…I sat down and curled up into a ball, ashamed that he would even want to talk to me. Out of Las Calaveras, I heard in the Raft that no one really cared about what the Avengers did all that much besides Erika._

_Me? I loved them defending Manhattan._

_On that day, I knew. I wanted to change. I still do. Every other day when I was alone in Las Calaveras, I thought about finding a way to leave my old life behind. Move somewhere else and, I don't know, hit the reset button. Be a hero in the shadows. Be someone people could look up to. I wanted to better myself. But I was the one looking up to them, especially Erika…_

_"Hush Puppy? Erika Andrade, an agent of SHIELD?!" I said. She nodded with a smile. "¡Oh, Dios!, debo estar soñando…"_

_She giggled. ...What does that mean? I thought I was dreaming, that's all. It's nothing too serious._ _Captain America smiled. Yeah, he smiled. I couldn't believe it, either. Know what he said to me?_

_"Listen, I heard what you did. Songbird gave me a lot of intel about you." He nodded to Songbird as she looked at me with those keen eyes. "I've been given your psych profile and although you seemed erratic at times, your profile was stunning. It had people talking. Including me, son."_

_Songbird finally spoke up. Her voice wasn't as warm as Cap's, but it was eerily pleasant. "Plus, Agent Andrade…"_

_I chuckled softly, looking at Erika. "Agent Andrade, eh, Erika? Heh. Lucky."_

_Erika winked at me. That was fun._

_Songbird rolled her eyes, continuing with what she was about to say. "Agent Andrade recommended you to me, Director Fury, and, of course, Captain America. As a result, we're here to offer you a proposal, Mr. Villanueva…"_

_I wasn't one for formalities, so I chuckled. "No need to be nice to me, S.B. Judging by that look on your face, you're dyin' to let me have it. So, come on…"_

_From the corner of my eye, Songbird turned to Cap as he smiled, calmly raising his hand._

_"As of today, your sentence will no longer be carried out," he said. "Only if you agree with our proposal. We're here to offer you the chance to be the newest member of a new, covert spec-ops team: the Thunderbolts."_

_So, yeah, the Thunderbolts. They're like...Delta Red in my world, but it had reformed supervillains as their members. …It's totally the same and the name's not lame! Anyways, I didn't know what that meant at the time, so I was beside myself. I didn't show it to those three, but I was excited._

_"The...Thunderbolts?"_

_Songbird and Cap turned to Erika as she stepped forward. She looked eager and proud in that uniform. Plus, I admit that she looked really good in it. Oh, yeah. If y'all didn't know by now, yes, she was my first girlfriend. She made me turn from an asshole to an asshole with a heart of gold if you could believe it. Or silver, I guess..._

_"Yep! It's a team of reformed individuals working on behalf of SHIELD to complete missions throughout the world." She was bubbly. It was nice to see. I liked her on days like that. "After some time in a special joint program at both SHIELD and Avengers Academy, you will be enlisted as the newest member."_

_I relaxed just a little bit, scratching my long, messy hair as I paced back and forth. "Special? Eh, what's so special about it?"_

_At that moment, Songbird made her way in front of my cell and stared at me. Shielding her face from both Cap and Erika, she looked like she was ready to let me have it. And believe me, meine Freunde, as I was leaning in to see her face, she was about to._

_"I'll be your personal handler and trainer," she whispered to me in a high and mighty tone. "I'm looking forward to taking my time to get to know you better…Mickey Mouse." A look of malice and glee was all over her face._

_At that point, I didn't know what scared me more: the fact that I was thrilled she knew my name, the fact that I was frightened, or the fact that I was aroused. All I did was gulp as I nodded furiously._

_Cap and Erika smiled, grateful I accepted the offer so quickly. Songbird chuckled and nodded slowly, her smile as devious as ever_.

* * *

( _ **Now Playing: Feel the Bass by JVST SAY YES and Virtual Riot)**_

_Over the next three years from July 2012 to around...mid-2015, I studied at both the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy of Operations and the New Avengers Academy._

_I was trained by the very best...briefly. From Melinda May to even Hawkeye, I was put through the damn ringer and it was fast, but I absorbed some knowledge. I befriended some fellow agents and even other heroes during my studies, especially at Avengers Academy. I hated the name Soundclash, so I went by Virtual Riot._

_It's…based on a dubstep artist of the same name_ _. Original, I know._

_They all knew I wouldn't be there for long because they all saw my… 'potential'_ _when I battled Songbird. I made it count, though. I let my presence be known there for a while. I was one of the oldest ones there. 'Uncle Mickey', some of them said to me. My legacy there was full of loud-ass bass house, homemade food, some funny swearing tirades, and even a few bits of advice._

_I guess they liked me. Well, most of them did. Finesse probably didn't, I think. Who's Finesse? Oh._

_…Her real name's Jeanne. Jeanne Foucault. She's a…polymath, I think it's called._ _She and I were - and still are - 'frenemies', I guess. I gave her shit, but when times were tough on her, I had her back. Like me, she was…different than most of us._

_"For a 'normal guy', I was an interesting one," I remember she said to me in her little French accent. She didn't mean it, but hey, I didn't know._

_I made some great friends, though. One of my good friends in A.A. was – weirdly enough – also named Mickey. Michiko 'Mickey' Musashi. She went by Turbo. We were class clowns. Loved causing chaos in A.A. with her. But Ava Ayala – the White Tiger – was my best friend there. She helped me reconnect with my Hispanic roots a bit and introduced me to her abuela's pozole._

_…I was a popular guy, but I didn't pursue a relationship. I heard some girls had crushes on me, but I politely declined them all. After what happened with Erika, I…I wanted to be alone most nights. I didn't wanna hurt others._

_Plus, I always kinda wanted to be alone. Penance or something like that. Or maybe it's…something in my brain, I don't know_.

* * *

I _realized my desire to be alone would change the day Songbird started to train me herself. She put me through her own training. It was painful. Tiring. I felt like I wanted to die._

_Some days, I wanted to. But the pain was worth it, I guess. I learned pro wrestling and worked through my martial arts style from her and two other guys: Captain America and Black Widow._

_Who's that? Secret super-spy. She's kinda like your friend Cammy over there, but less...angry. She could probably handle all of us in a fight combined. They all kicked my ass. I deserved it but, over time, they kinda respected me. I think. I found my own style with the help of those three._

_A fighting style inspired by capoeira, kickboxing, and even some pro wrestling. I called it 'The Way of the Surging Fist'._

_…Heh. I remember Songbird giving me shit for it._ _"Sounds like shit, kid," I heard her say one day. "Gotta be honest. It's a cheesy name."_

_I remember it was during a rigorous training session, too, because I panted before I said, "Yep. Because I'm cheesy."_

_I said it as serious as I could say anything in my life. She tried to hide it, but she giggled so hard._ _It was on that day, I knew…we would_ _be friends._

_And over time, we did. I got to know Songbird a bit better. She didn't leave me out of my sight, but that's how we bonded. After some days in the summer, we started to talk about us and our lives. Well, mainly my life. Slowly but surely, though, Songbird…Melissa came out of her shell and opened up to me._

_We even had our own nicknames for each other. She was Goldie or Birdie to me. I was either Kiddo or Hoss to her._ _Hoss?_ _Big guy that knows very little. It's a wrestling term, one that made me upset. She liked it. It stuck._

_Melissa became – and still is – one of the few friends I treasure more than anything. My best frenemy. My mentor, I guess. I never stopped looking up to her. We talked about the things we wanted to talk about. We kept our personal secrets secret._

_Well, some secrets. God, I miss her some nights…_

_Heh, we had some friendly 'bonding time', too. I remember trying to prevent Melissa_ _from getting into it with a group of assholes that made fun of us after a night out at a restaurant._

_"Mel…Mel…Goldie," I remember telling her. "It's fine."_

_I remember some prick insulting her size and her age and she snapped. "No, no, Mickey! This dumbass needs to hear this! Hey!"_

_One more insult about our ages and a quick push later, it was on. We kicked their asses without powers, obviously. Don't look at me like that. You would, too._

_But, yeah, Songbird and Virtual Riot, Melissa and Mickey. We even had a mission once. It went…terrible, heh, but I was learning._ _…Almost five years later, I was a full-fledged Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and on my way to becoming a member of the Thunderbolts._

_But there's a classic saying in my world: l_ _ife comes at you fast_. 

_Another break? …Okay._

* * *

Before _my debut in the 'Bolts', Songbird and I were called in to investigate a disturbance at the Triskelion, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s HQ. After speaking with two scientists – Fitz and Simmons, you'll love 'em, they're adorable together – about something they're working on, I learned about the Divide._

_What's that? I don't know how they did it, but it's an…an interdimensional portal that connected dimensions like one of those noodle-marshmallow towers._

_But that day, that was the first time I spotted her stepping through it. The same woman that emerged in Sakura's room. The same woman that tried to kill me and Sakura. The same woman with that look…a look that looked like she would freeze a piece of Hell to force it up to Earth to say that she could. She emerged through the Divide with a lot of soldiers._

_It wasn't supposed to happen, but it did._

_"You know your mission," she said coldly. I remembered her words. "Don't fail the Emperor or death follows."_

_They swarmed the Triskelion, using extreme force to hurt anyone in their way. I called out for Erika inside and she came to me. She was roughed up, but she and I handled worse in our time as criminals. "Mickey! Songbird!"_

_"Agent Andrade. What happened?" Songbird shouted, hovering beside me._

_"I don't know," Erika replied back. "Some hooded guys came through. Talked about stealing 'a portion of the Sun' or something like that."_

_At that moment, we all saw Iron Man gliding through. "Fido's right."_

_Yup, heh, Fido. Tony's a bit of an ass, but he made me laugh sometimes. It was a cute puppy's name. Oh, man. If it wasn't for that situation, I'd have been laughing my ass off. Erika wasn't about it, though, but Stark was her boss._

_"Um, okay. It's Hush Puppy, sir," she told him._

_Stark didn't care, I think. He's hard to read._

_"Yeah, yeah. I know. But you're still right. That woman's looking for something and I think I know what it is…"_

_"What am I right about?"_

_"They're searching for one of the Mandarin's rings," he said, firing a repulsor blast at a hooded prick. "It's located here. I know it's not Incandescence. I… Wait. Shit, it's Daimonic!"_

_Daimonic? It's a ring. I don't know what it does. That's why I'm here. Hell, I couldn't even begin to explain why that name sounded stupid, but innocent people were there. I was all business._

_"Look, no time to explain," I said. "We got shit to do."_

_And so was Songbird because she surprisingly agreed. "Agent Andrade, take care of any injured people here and escort them out of the Triskelion. In and out, just like back in the day. Handle any threats if they choose to engage. Excessive force isn't needed, but the sooner you take care of them, the better. Remember your training."_

_Man, I loved it when she took command like that. She's like you, but better. You should hear her. She gets your blood pumpin'._

_Armed and dangerous, I saw Erika nod, heading further into the Triskelion. "Okay, understood! Be safe, you two!"_

_Songbird and I tried to remedy the situation, making our way to a large lab where the Divide was. We kicked ass and saved lives…had some close calls, too._

_I won't bore you with more details, though, because soon after the interdimensional theft, that woman and her goons found what they were looking for. It was a small, glowing ring...Daimonic. She used it to blind all of us and escaped through the Divide before it started to fizzle. It was too late._

_"Crap! She got away!" I heard Iron Man say. When he was worried, things were bad. It was like when S.H.I.E.L.D. almost fell to HYDRA bad, but worse._

_I remember thinking to myself, "No. Not today. Not while I'm here."_

_I looked at Songbird, ready to do something stupid again. I said, "Look, there's no time. I gotta go. Now!"_

_"What?!" She looked at me with those green eyes. "You can't, kid! What happens if you're lost?"_

_I was frozen. Not only because she was right but because that was the first time I noticed how beautiful she was. I gotta admit, Abe's a lucky guy. Hm? Oh, Abe Jenkins. Engineer. He builds some cool-ass suits. Good guy. He's pretty chill. Calls himself Mach-Whatever or something, I lost count. I just call him MACH or Abe or even A.J. …It's easier._

_"No, you guys will find a way! I gotta get it now! Hold down the fort here." I turned to Iron Man. "Stark, please."_

_Stark revealed his face behind his helmet and gave me some gadgets…including my new and improved headphones. The ones you saw around my neck and probably took as evidence, the pink and white ones._

_"A gift from Agent Gold and S.H.I.E.L.D., so consider yourself lucky. I'm usually not the giving type." Tony was an ass sometimes, even when he's being nice. He held my shoulder. "You have your orders, Dancing Queen. Retrieve Daimonic and make sure that wherever you end up, you come back there. Do this…and maybe you'll be an Avenger."_

_I grumbled and smiled with a nod, too quick for me to retort or to act like a fanboy mark. Erika followed and gave me a hug. Even though we weren't together anymore, she valued me like a dear friend. The feeling was mutual._

_"Don't die. Two-Tone would kill me."_

_I smiled and nodded. "You got it, H.P." Finally, I turned to Songbird. "Soundclash - whatever it is - was wrong, y'know?_ _"_

_Songbird landed on the ground, looking at me as she was thinking back to that terrible day almost five years ago. It was all over her face. "What do you mean?"_

_I gave her the biggest hug and whispered softly in her ear. "I like you, Mel. …Thanks for not giving up on me_ _. I ain't gonna give up on you. I promise I'll make you proud."_

_On that day, I saw the real Melissa Gold. Scared. Terrified. She…let's just say in my world, people like us aren't as perfect as you two seem to be. All you two need to know is that she didn't want me to go and her hug made it really clear._

_"Please don't go," I heard her whisper. "It's too-"_

_"You, Erika, and Tony can handle things here. I got this."_

_"Mickey."_

_"It's okay, Mel. Hey, eyes to the sky, right? No matter where we are. Just like what we talked about." I said that as I saw her nod and smile. "I'm never gonna leave here. I'll always be with you."_

_I had to. I had to. The Divide was closing and due to the structural damage and the way it was glitching out, I didn't know if it'll be open again._

_She stared at me with tears welling up. "Agent Villanueva…Mickey, if you don't come back, I swear I'll—"_

_"Shh."_

_Unlike last time, I gave Melissa a light, teasing smack on the chin. She pretended to be shocked as we laughed. It was our thing. It was silly and stupid, but we liked it. Suddenly, without thinking, I gave her a kiss on the forehead. She hesitated, but she smiled wide. I still like to think it made her feel better._

_I promised her I'll be back and, gathering my things, I headed for the Divide. I looked at everyone around me and smiled. They were stunned but grateful. The last person I saw was Melissa. The last thing I said to her looked like it touched her heart because she smiled, laughed, and nodded when I said it._

_I said, "And, hey, when I come back, I'll treat you and Abe to a nice, romantic dinner on me! I'm here for this!"_

_I closed my eyes, hopped through, and the next thing I knew, I saw streams of energy like ribbons. I saw moments in time and things I couldn't tell you. Not that I won't, though. ...I couldn't. It felt like gliding through tubes or something. Suddenly, I found myself in a run-down, abandoned school. It was in Toronto but I'm sure you know the rest._

_That night, I found Elvira. A cute dog. She's a stray beagle. But, that's another story._

_The rest is history…_

* * *

Ending his story, Mickey sighs, staring at an egg-white interrogation room, now with a small hole in it. Finishing his grilling session with Interpol agent **Chun-Li** and Delta Red agent **Cammy White** , he shakes his head. "That's it."

Alive and a bit banged up, Sakura looks on from behind a wall, nervous for her new friend, stunned by his story. Dumbfounded, Chun-Li and Cammy turn to each other as they stare at Mickey.

"Well, not all of it," Mickey says. "I'm gonna get my ass kicked for spilling all of this, but it doesn't matter." Cuffed to the ground and to the table, he bangs his fist down. "Stop. Wasting. Time. We need to find that ring. And fast."

* * *

_**What will happen next in this race against time? Hell, I don't know. But we all will next time on Marvel x Capcom: Black - The Calling!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Holy crap. My longest chapter ever. I love this one, though. I hope I got their voices right. Stay Golden and Later Days. If you'll excuse me...


	5. Pressure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last time on The Calling, Mickey finishes his story during his long interrogation with Cammy and Chun-Li. Brought in for questioning regarding his actions and motives, the two duty-bound fighters seek answers but find themselves in a much different situation...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back in the saddle again. I'm gonna try my hardest to update this frequently until it's finished.

_**Track 5:** _

_**Pressure** _

* * *

 

_**Delta Red's Blackhallow Headquarters - London, UK** _

The heat lingers in the interrogation room. The hum of the lights above filled the interior, cutting the silence with a stinging sound. Mickey starts to waver; the lack of sleep taking an apparent toll on his body. The cold steel is uncomfortable, but it doesn't quite compare to seeing the equally chilly stares of his interrogators.

Beads of sweat start to form on his face, sending an unbearably cool feeling down his spine. Finding himself in a super-rare position, Mickey sighs. "The longer we wait, the more time we don't have," he says.

With their interrogation mostly complete, Chun-Li and Cammy turn to each other with skeptical looks on their faces. In their mind, more questions than answers remained after hearing Mickey's story and the inquiries that followed it.

However, Mickey's mind was a snowstorm of thoughts. Thinking back to the altercation he and Sakura had with the mysterious woman, he starts to think. _How did that woman know about me? About Sakura? Who told her? And why the hell would she attack us? What the hell's going on in this world?!_

Clutching the back of his head, he lightly smacks his forehead on the table with a sigh. He presses his fingertips on his scalp, feeling the handcuffs and leg cuffs bring him down – literally and metaphorically. Signs of stress and anger are a bit more evident on his face as he stares them down.

"I just don't see why S.H.I.E.L.D. would send one agent here," Cammy whispers to Chun-Li.

Unfortunately for her, Mickey's hearing allows him to hear Cammy's voice. His own whining voice brims to the surface, interrupting her.

"That's because you're not listening to me," he says in a huff. "Look. I know I'm not someone like Steve Rogers or Tony Stark or even - and especially - Melissa Gold, but I _swear_ on my _abuelita's_ _grave_ that I'm tellin' you the _truth!_ The Divide was damn near destroyed!"

 _Silence_.

Chun-Li gets up, seemingly uninfluenced by his words. "We'll be back shortly," she says as she makes her way out of the room.

Cammy follows her, her eyes locked on to Mickey with a hint of bellicosity behind them. "If I were you, I wouldn't try thinking of a way to escape. Don't move and keep quiet."

Mickey scoffs, softly chuckling in bewilderment. "You're kidding, right? Why would I—" The door closes with a slight thud, giving Mickey a quick jolt before he sighs. "Ugh, there's no time to waste…"

Suddenly, he hears a familiar and less-than-pleasant voice echoing in his mind. _**'It ain't too late, Boss. You know you…heh, you could always—'**_

' _Shut up. I'm not your—'_

 _ **'Silence! Listen to me for once in your pathetic-ass life!'**_ The voice rings in Mickey's mind like a loud cymbal crash reverberating near his ear. Silent, the entity continues. _**'You know damn well that sitting in this shit-heap of a room isn't doing us any god-damn favours!'**_

_'I know.'_

_**'So...break out!'** _

_'Don't be stupid. We can't. I can't."_

_**'Why? Nervous?'** _

_'No. I'm smart.'_  Mickey hears the entity scoff. _'I'd_ _be plugged full of holes. Now shut up and let me think...'  
_

_**'Or what? Heh, you're too much of a puss—'** _

Mickey puts his foot down by immediately bringing his fists down on the table with a hard thud. "I said shut the hell up!"

The door quickly opens as Cammy emerges, her voice loud and terse as she strides up to Mickey with alarming speed. "And I told you to be _quiet!"_

Her stare cuts through Mickey's soul - and ears - like a guillotine. He jolts in pain, taken aback by her assertion and the loud voice. Silent, Mickey tries to muffle his pained groans; he raises his hands, acquiescing to Cammy's request with a nod and a frown as he lowers his head. For now, he doesn't hear the words of his unknown, unwelcome guest in his mind.

However, alone in that room, Mickey's mind conjures up thoughts of doubt. With memories of his life back in his world, he dwells on the rumours and the hearsay, carving away at his psyche like knife wounds. He looks around the room, feeling like screaming at the walls to keep them from closing in around him.

Listening to Cammy, Mickey sits - alone, he stews in his silence.

* * *

Slamming the door shut and irate about her next biggest problem, Cammy turns to Chun-Li as they make their way to another room, set up on the other side of the two-way mirror.

"I _can't_ believe _he's_ the one that's been giving us these headaches," she groans, rolling her eyes. Cammy holds her head as Chun-Li softly smiles, patting her friend's shoulder.

"It's always tough, but it looks like you hurt him quite a bit," Chun-Li says in a soft tone, thumbing over at Mickey behind the mirror.

"Sorry about that..."

"I understand. But you don't have to—"

Cammy returns Chun-Li's friendly gesture with a small grin of her own. "I know, I know. Acting like that was excessive. I'm sorry. But he's so…He's like an irritating cliché."

"Yeah. There's something about him that seems off," Chun-Li adds, staring at Mickey behind the mirror. After seeing him slam his fists on the table, she sees his slumped stature with pursed lips.

"A couple of things if you ask me," Cammy chides, keeping an eye on Mickey as she shakes her head.

Chun-Li frowns. "Do you think it might have something to do with—"

"No. We put a stop to Shadaloo years ago. They're _long_ gone."

Chun-Li nods, realizing what Shadaloo's demise meant for the two women. With the fall of M. Bison, closure regarding the disappearance of her father, an event that still haunts her, allowed her to focus on Li-Fen. And with its fall, Cammy's sordid past as a Doll is now a mere memory, distant and fleeting into obscurity. Nevertheless, the two women stare at the ground, knowing Shadaloo's penchant for longevity.

Cammy speaks up once more, saying, "But if that man's a remnant of Shadaloo, we need to detain him immediately."

"Yeah, I agree," Chun-Li nods.

Nestled in the corner, though, a silent Sakura stands as she raises her voice, nervous for her new friend. "Don't!" Chun-Li and Cammy turn to her. "He's not one of them. Trust me. He's…kinda vulgar, but he's a good guy."

"Sakura…" Cammy walks up to Sakura with a worried frown on her face. "You've heard his story. Even if he _is_ a member of S.H.I.E.L.D., that organization hasn't arrived in our world in years. Besides, they would have said something - anything, really! Hell, even if they did, they wouldn't send someone like _him_."

"He's scared!"

"As far as we know, he's also a criminal," Chun-Li says, joining the conversation. "Our intel tracked him all over the world with stunts and events like this, giving us problems. Interpol, Delta Red, even the C.I.A., too. And recently, your _friend_ made the national news with his assault on Balrog, so that makes things even more difficult for him."

"I know, but—"

Chun-Li places a hand on Sakura's shoulder with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Sakura, but we just don't have enough evidence to believe him."

Sakura lowers her head, nervous for Mickey's safety. And then, her eyes widen as she gets an idea. "Oh! His back!"

Cammy and Chun-Li look at each other with confused expressions on their faces.

"What about it?" Cammy says.

"We went out for yakiniku the first time we met. After that, he took me home. When he left, I saw a bit of a tattoo on his back."

"Sakura…" Cammy's stare narrows some more, becoming more anxious.

Slightly shocked at Cammy's insinuation, Sakura giggles. "No! Not like _that_ , Cammy! Jeez!"

"You never know!" Cammy shrugs.

Sakura shakes her head as she continues. "Anyway, it looked strange. It looked like the tattoo _meant_ something to him."

"Did you get a good look at it?"

"Kind of, yeah. It kinda looked like what you told me about," Sakura says to Chun-Li.

Suddenly, Chun-Li motions for the two to wait as they start to hear Mickey making a fit.

"Officers! Hey! Get my phone!" Mickey shouts. "I just…I have proof…"

"I'll be back," Chun-Li says. Cammy starts to follow her, but knowing her friend's abrasive personality, she eases her worries with a comforting tone. "Don't worry. I'll be okay."

* * *

Alone, Chun-Li enters the interrogation room again, ready to deal with Mickey's shenanigans. With his phone in an evidence container, she opens it as she stares him down. Except for the hum of the lights, there are no sounds as she speaks.

"Alright, it's just you and me. Confess," she says, her voice stern. "Because right now, trying to convince Officer White should be the least of your—"

Mickey abruptly cuts Chun-Li off, pointing at the phone. "There's an audio recording there! On my phone! The password's...1284."

His breathing is a little bit laboured from the heat as his eyes slowly dart to his phone. Mickey starts to stare into Chun-Li's eyes, but he stops, quickly looking back to the phone. His posture is changed, backed by a tone more apprehensive than it was before.

"It…It's a record of my friend's last words," Mickey mutters.

Chun-Li reels back, recognizing the look in his eyes with a glint in her eye.

From behind the wall, Cammy furrows her brow, curious about Mickey's revelation. _"_ _Last words?"_

With a worried look, Sakura silently watches Cammy beside her as she turns to the scene.

"What are you talking about?" Chun-Li says in a cautious but softer tone. "And leave _no_ details out."

 _Silence_.

Mickey slouches in his chair, staring into the distance. "There's _one_ more thing I should tell you. I wanted to keep it a secret, but…she wouldn't want that."

 _"What…is it?"_ Chun-Li presses her palms on the steel table, craning her head closer to him. " _Who_ wouldn't want that? Tell me."

Mickey sighs with a nod. "I met an unlikely friend in this world. Her name was Nozomi. She said it means 'hope' in Japanese. And yeah, she thought it was cheesy, too." He smiles softly before he frowns, a look of sadness on his face. "She was forced to work as a scientist for Shadaloo."

Chun-Li gasps, startled at his revelation. "What?"

"I didn't know about the organization, so I investigated. See what they're all about, y'know? Through a close call and a lucky break, Nozomi and I met in secret. We talked in private. She entrusted me to work behind the scenes to slow Shadaloo down a bit. As an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., I did what I felt was right. I agreed and soon after that, I travelled the world, disrupting missions here and there. She was petty and loved Shadaloo being taken down a notch. I liked that."

Mickey smiles. "And she liked that I liked that. We had a bond. And because of that, she told me she found a way to stop a project called Operation—"

"Operation C.H.A.I.N.S.?!" Chun-Li says, bewildered by the news. She sees Mickey nod before looking at the mirror. From behind it, Cammy shifts in place, stunned by Mickey's words. "How did you…Do you mean _you_ —"

"If you think I stopped Shadaloo, then no. I didn't. Nozomi was the one that set things in motion. She created a way - nah, _the_ way - to stop Shadaloo. _You_ beat Shadaloo. …I just helped."

The tone to Chun-Li's voice changes, slightly curious about Mickey's words. "You know what we did? It was a couple of years ago, but we were the only ones."

"You and your friends, but yeah. I was there. I mean, the end of Shadaloo wasn't a _complete_ secret. It was all over the news! But…" Mickey grins. "I watched the destruction of Shadaloo HQ from afar. It was _kinda_ dope. You and Camila over there did this world a hell of a favour."

Cammy's face is fixed into a hilariously uptight expression upon hearing her name said that way. She scoffs. _"_ _Camila?"_ She hears Sakura giggle as Mickey continues.

"Nozomi contacted two people: me and another person. She didn't say much about her friend, but they were close. Really close. I recorded our calls and the texts about him are all there."

"Who's he talking about?" Sakura says to Cammy.

Cammy turns to her. "Right, you weren't there. He's talking about someone named Rashid. He said he was looking for his friend," she replies. Her eyes lock onto Mickey, maintaining her standoffish nature from afar. "I'm pretty sure his friend is this Nozomi Mickey's talking about."

 _'Who is this guy?'_ she wonders as her furrowed brow deepens.

"She believed in him. She trusted him to stop Shadaloo, but she took a hell of a risk doing so. Because for the first time in a long-ass time, she also took a risk trusting me. Someone took a chance on _me,_ " Mickey continues, tapping the table as a point of emphasis. He lowers his head. "She saw something in me that I didn't. And ironically enough, the sins of my past snuffed out her dreams of the future."

"Poetic," Chun-Li says, examining the footage. She sees Mickey scoff, shaking his head. "I assume I'll know more listening to this?"

Mickey gestures for her to play the video. Silent, Chun-Li does just that.

* * *

_It was damning._

_The voice recording started with the pants of a young woman, scared for her life. What followed next was troubling for Chun-Li: Mickey's voice radiating fear and concern, the woman's apologies, and the last words between friends._

_"Hey, Nozomi! What's-"_

" _He's coming! Crap, h-he's...oh, God."_

" _Nozomi?"_

" _Shit, he's coming…"_

_"Nozomi! W-what's wrong?"_

" _I-I can't…"_

" _Are you okay?! Who's coming? Yo, stay right there! I—"_

_"No!" Nozomi whispered to Mickey, her tone quiet as she sniffled a bit. "Don't. It's too late to save me, anyway..."_

_"No, no frickin' way am I gonna let anyone hurt you! Set the phone down and-"_

_"Mickey! Just—Please help my friend stop Shadaloo. ...Okay? For me?"_

" _Wait, wait_ _! Just…keep on talking to me, alright? I can—"_

" _It's okay, it's okay. You've risked your life for me. It's about time I return the favour, huh?"_

" _Nozomi, please..."_

" _If you see Rashid, tell him to keep his eyes on the horizon, okay? …You were wrong, you know. You're not so bad after all, mein Freund. Thank you."_

* * *

Sakura's eyes widen in shock. _'_ _Mickey-san. So that's why he says that…'_

And then, Chun-Li hears footsteps followed by a familiar – and foul – voice _._ Just before it cuts out, she ascertains the source of that voice: F.A.N.G., one of the Four Kings, Bison's former second-in-command. With a frown, she hears the phone drop and Nozomi's gasps as the audio cuts out. Silence follows as Chun-Li glances at a miserable Mickey.

"I helped convince her that when Shadaloo would be destroyed, we'd celebrate in Berlin with her friend over cheese, pretzels, and wine," Mickey says woefully, his tone growing colder. "Nozomi died because I hesitated."

His Queens accent lingers a bit as his anger brims to the surface.

"So, I won't. Not anymore. Here's _my_ offer. I don't know if the woman that tried to hurt Sakura and Nozomi's killer are workin' together, but I'm _gonna_ find out. I owe it to her friend, I owe it to myself, and I _especially_ owe it to her. So, these are _your_ options, lady."

Mickey leans forward.

"Let me go or _you_ and Camila over there will catch these hands." His eyes suddenly turn red as the tone to his voice gets more aggressive.

Sakura takes a step back, caught off guard by his blunt words. Chun-Li, however, doubles down by staring into Mickey's eyes.

"Assaulting an Interpol officer in Delta Red's headquarters is—"

Mickey summons the willpower to drive the strange entity back, seeing his eyes changing back to normal. "You ain't gonna stop me. Not you or Interpol or Delta...Blue or anyone else."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah, you heard me. Nobody's stoppin' me from avenging Nozomi, figurin' out what the hell's going on in _your world,_ and cleanin' up _your_ mess!" He chuckles derisively. "And, yo, that ain't a threat. Those are facts." Mickey calms down as his muscles relax, taking a deep breath while weighing the consequences of what he just said in his head.

Silence lingers for a good, long while. Chun-Li pauses, glaring at Mickey as they settle into a silent battle of wills.

Her eyes narrow. "Aggravated assault, extensive property damage, criminal negligence, criminal recklessness, criminal endangerment, resisting arrest, and now threatening not one, but _two_ officers of the law with assault in police headquarters. You could…" She scoffs, completely in disbelief of Mickey's callous threats. "No. You're _going_ to jail for a long time. And your sentence will be for life if you keep this up."

Mickey chuckles, staring his Interpol enemy down. "I've been to the Raft, Officer. I wrestled with thoughts of being in jail for life before. I also read up on people like me in jails here. If you and your prisons couldn't hold someone like Mayor Cody Travers over in Metro City, how long do you think those poor prisons will last against someone like me. Huh, _m_ _eine Freundin?_ Tell me!"

_Silence._

Chun-Li starts to speak but thinks twice. In her mind, he was right. Given the slightest chance that he was telling the truth in his stories, she thought about what might happen to other, non-powered criminals if Mickey's powers ran loose.

 _'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,'_ she thinks to herself as she sighs. "We'll find a--"

Mickey raises his eyebrows, shaking his head with a reconciliatory shake of the head. "I know I'm a pain in the ass right now, Officer Chun-Li, but if you don't believe me at _this_ point, Sakura was there when the woman…Wait!" Using his love of ribbing crime shows, he turns to the one-way mirror. "Sakura! I know you're there! The necklace!"

Caught up in the tense situation, Sakura suddenly remembers the necklace they retrieved from their attacker. She holds it up to Cammy as Cammy stares down her friend.

"Sakura. You should've told me about this!" Cammy groans.

"I...I thought I did!" Sakura says, her tone surprised. "You told me you'd check it out later! I—"

"I know. Just don't get upset, alright?" Cammy smiles before she takes the necklace, observing it. She suddenly gasps. "Are you _sure_ you found this necklace?"

Sakura nods furiously. "Yes! Mickey-san and I found it when a creepy guy attacked us!"

Cammy rushes into the interrogation room as Mickey and Chun-Li turn to her.

"Cammy?" Chun-Li says, slightly worried. "What's wrong—"

"This necklace?" Cammy says to Mickey, presenting the necklace. Mickey nods. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. They've been after me for...weeks? Months? It's been a while."

Cammy sighs, a look of anxiety plastered all over her face. "…Let him go."

"Let him go?!" Chun-Li scoffs while Mickey holds back a pleased grin. "Why?"

Cammy holds out the locket in front of her friend. "It's _them_. They're back again."

Looking at the necklace's design, Chun-Li makes out the pyramidal icon as her eyes widen, turning to the mirror. "Sakura, come here!"

It doesn't take long for Sakura to follow the Interpol agent's order as she heads into the room. Cammy crosses her arms.

"You two met members of the Secret Society?" She asks.

Mickey and Sakura turn to each other with a look of worry and confusion before a junior officer of Delta Red barges through the room. The officer looks to be in his mid-to-late 20s with short, straight hair, fair skin, and a lanky frame. He looks like he's been through hell and he didn't enjoy it one bit. Clutching his Delta Red hat, he wipes the sweat from his brow.

"Operative W-White!"

Cammy, in a rather coarse tone, addresses him. "Yes, Operative Jackson. What is it?"

"T-There's a riot in Tokyo! The Rising Tide's gathering in Shibuya Crossing and they're making a ruckus! Multiple people are injured! I—"

"Settle down. I'll take care of it."

Cammy turns to the rest. "I'll be back," she says to Chun-Li. "They're just a rowdy bunch of hooligans. And watch these two!"

As soon as she leaves, Sakura turns to Mickey. "Mickey-san…"

Mickey nods. "Yeah." He suddenly turns to Chun-Li. "You have to take us with you, Officer We gotta help her out."

Chun-Li, still showing a bit of skepticism about him, turns to the two. "And why should I?"

"Because we fought them before," Sakura says before turning to Mickey. The two new friends exchange a look before she nods, turning to Chun-Li once more. "And we think this 'Secret Society' might have some new friends..."

* * *

**_Earth-6 - Melissa Gold's Condo_  
**

* * *

 

Melissa looks out of the window of her apartment overlooking Manhattan, shaking her head. A soft, sad jazz ballad plays in the room as the vocalist croons with a hauntingly beautiful voice. A voice, familiar to her, that still fills her with regret...

Her voice.

It's a rainy afternoon as small raindrops reflect teardrops streaming down her face. Melissa takes a second to stare at her phone, smiling fondly at a picture of her and Mickey goofing off after training.

_'Two years is long enough. ...Mickey, hold on. I'm coming to get you out. I promise.'_

* * *

_**What happened? Who's the Rising Tide and what's their purpose in Shibuya Crossing? And how are they related to this 'Secret Society'? Find out next time on MxC: Black - the Calling!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you think! Your feedback and (hopefully constructive) criticism is always welcome. <3
> 
> Until we meet again, later days. - L.I.T.T.


	6. Heard 'Em Say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last time on The Calling:
> 
> After Mickey finished talking about his backstory and motives with Cammy and Chun-Li, the trio - along with Sakura - received word that a familiar foe to him re-emerged in Tokyo. Sensing the upcoming storm, Sakura and Mickey frantically tried to convince Chun-Li to let them go while Cammy assesses the situation. Meanwhile, in Mickey's world, Melissa starts thinking about the day the mysterious woman terrorized S.H.I.E.L.D.
> 
> And what it would take to get Mickey back...as the story continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long story short, it's been a hell of a rollercoaster ride the last few months. Hopefully, my recent surge of creativity can make up for the wait. Lemme know what you guys think. Less than three.

_**Track 6:** _

_**Heard 'Em Say** _

Back in the world through the Divide, Cammy makes her way to Blackhallow Headquarters' Situation Room. Walking past groups of Delta Red operatives and staff, her gait is poised, a completely stone-faced expression highlighted all over her face.

As she strides past them, her thoughts are a hodgepodge of recent events. Her mind wonders about Mickey's arrival in the world, whether his words ring true, and his conveniently inconvenient experience with the Secret Society.

' _Just what does that man know about them?'_ Cammy meditates through her walk. ' _I thought they were just…'_

Cammy shakes her head, too distraught over Mickey's backstory.

 _Was it true? Is it? It's_ _…been so long. Why him?_ Cammy's thoughts amplify as rumours of a figure accosting Mickey rattle in her mind…a figure awfully familiar to her. _Was she talking about Mickey?_

Putting her thoughts – and her nagging headache – off to the side, Cammy steps inside of the Situation Room, witnessing a chaotic scene: Delta Red officers frantically moving in and out of the room; other operatives, those dealing in communication with groups on the field, searching for a unit available.

And in the middle of it all, a small but vocal and nervous-looking Delta Red lieutenant, frustrated, sighs before turning to Cammy, her freckled face forming a soft but weary smile before she stands at attention.

Cammy nods to her with a salute. "Lieutenant Ackerson. I heard there was a commotion."

A worried **Lieutenant Hanna Ackerson** greets her with the same salute. "Operative White! Oh, Cammy, am I _glad_ to see you." She looks at the large screen occupying one of the walls of the Situation Room. "I assume Operative Jackson filled you in, yeah?"

With a soft smile, Cammy pats Ackerson's shoulder before focusing on the scene, crossing her arms as she does so. "Somewhat. He was awfully jittery."

Cammy watches with a bit of uneasiness as Tokyo's citizens – specifically the people in Shibuya Crossing – are harassed and harangued by a small group of men all dressed in white, wearing stylized leather bomber jackets.

"I'm afraid Jackson isn't the only one," Hanna utters. _"He's_ back."

Wearing an odd, pyramidal necklace around their necks, they are accosted by a peculiar man – one Cammy doesn't know about. _"Who's_ that guy?" Cammy asks before pointing her finger at him.

The intimidating man's dark shocks of hair, quite unique in his hairstyle, is wild and pointed at the ends, akin to that of an anime protagonist. His bomber jacket has gold trims, indicative to that of a person of authority. His pyramidal necklace is thicker than the rest, armed with two razor-like bladed brass knuckles and a long wooden sword, weapons as black as his morbid smile.

His crass Japanese words are spoken in a local accent, filled with demands and short but powerful thrust kicks towards civilians, one of them especially aimed towards an elderly man. Seeing the encounter, a miffed Ackerson shakes her head.

 _"He_ is Josuke Ichikawa: known criminal, an ally of the Yakuza, and leader of the Rising Tide," she says to Cammy. "We don't have a lot of information on him. He's…slippery."

Cammy purses her lips. _'Probably the Society, that's why.'_

Ackerson, seeing Cammy's stress, continues with a frown, holding her shoulder, easing her friend's stress. "However, he's been making quite the scene in Tokyo as of late. …Probably as a result of what happened to his men a couple of months ago."

"What happened?" Cammy asks.

From the corner of their eyes, the two women spot Chun-Li nearby with Sakura. In chains, Mickey shuffles his feet behind them, two other Delta Red members beside him. As Ackerson thumbs over to them, Cammy, stunned, points to them.

"It was _those_ two?" Cammy says, her eyebrow raised in disbelief.

Hanna, with a surprised smile, nods before Mickey suddenly spots something else the rest didn't see.

"What the…?" he says, shuffling his feet forward before the officers stop him.

Cammy furrows her brow at him while a worried Ackerson frowns at his grief.

"What's your problem _now?"_ Cammy says to Mickey.

Mickey's eyes widen. "That."

Pointing at the screen, the group watches a scene taking place. As a civilian attempts to stop the Rising Tide's chaos, Josuke looks at him, muttering a crude phrase while shaking his head. Suddenly, his necklace, along with his bladed knuckles, twinkles with an odd, white light…with specks of an oddly blue hue.

Mickey couldn't believe it. His voice is shaky, completely unlike his jovial and confident tone. "T-that looks familiar. No, no, no, no, no…no way. No frickin' way."

Sakura gasps. "That necklace is different. It kinda looks like your little spheres, Mickey-san."

Shaking his head, Mickey stutters. "N-no, Sakura. I think it's a bit more than that. _…Holy shit!"_

Suddenly, the Situation Room stops after hearing Mickey and sees Josuke slicing the air with his knuckles, causing the same light to cascade around the man and hurl him into the air.

Josuke cackles before cracking the ground with his wooden sword, a vibrant light surrounding the weapon. "しんじまえ! _(Go to hell!)"_

His necklace glows again as an unseen force causes the poor civilian to drop to the ground like an egg carton, breaking his spectacles. Ending his brand of punishment, Josuke smiles happily, simply kicking the civilian like a pebble, hurling him end over end.

Speechless, Chun-Li gasps, looking at Cammy before the two agents nod in unison. "Lieutenant Ackerson, take us to Tokyo," she says to Ackerson.

Ackerson, stunned herself, stammers. "R-right away, Officer Chun-Li."

"And make sure _these two_ remain in your care," Cammy adds, gesturing to Sakura and Mickey.

Sakura gasps. "Cammy!"

"I'm sorry, Sakura, but right now, they're looking for revenge." Cammy sees Sakura make a stunned expression, miffed as Cammy assures her. "I just don't want you to be hurt. And I want you to keep an eye out, okay? Stay with Hanna."

"But I'm not little anymore!" Sakura shakes her head. "I can—"

Cammy immediately turns to her, her tone quite worried for her. "Sakura, please!"

Her tone is succinct, highlighted by a look of worry on her face. As Sakura frowns and looks away from her, Cammy sighs and smiles, paying Mickey no mind as she and Chun-Li frantically make their way to Tokyo.

Mickey, however, doesn't care as he looks at the screen, his attention aimed at Josuke with a look of sheer shock and anger. Ackerson, not really harbouring the feelings of irritation Cammy does around him, steps closer to him.

"Do _you_ know what happened?" she asks him.

Mickey nods, looking down at her, his tone eerily serious. "…Hanna, right?"

" _Lieutenant_ Ackerson," Ackerson replies, her tone curt but soft. "But, yes, what is it?"

Mickey's eyes widen, his tone filled with anxiety. "Well, Lieutenant…there's only one thing I know that can create light like that. But…" He starts to kneel, tall enough for his eyes to meet hers. "Ha…Lieutenant, you need to uncuff me so Sakura and I can help them and I can go get Daimonic back."

Not really convinced, Ackerson looks at an eager Sakura before narrowing her eyes at Mickey. "Daimonic? What? Wait, why on Earth are you—Wait, why _should_ I?"

Looking at Ackerson, Mickey sees images of Josuke, the event firmly in his mind. "B-because if I'm right, and I hope to hell I'm not, I think we got bigger problems…"

Ackerson, looking deep into Mickey's eyes, looks at Sakura as she nods, backing up Mickey's worries. Crossing her arms, her friendly disposition wins out slightly over her sense of duty for a bit, narrowing her eyes suspiciously towards him.

"Alright. Stop kneeling like a child. You have my attention." Ackerson stands straight. "Talk."

* * *

_**Earth-6 - Manhattan, New York** _

Back in Mickey's world, Melissa sniffs, sitting on the floor, resting the back of her head on the couch while staring at the ceiling fan.

Going through a typical night for her, she tries to calm down, focusing on the reporter recalling events all over Earth in the background to soothe her.

For Melissa, the breaking news was par for the course: recent talks regarding the 'doomed history' of the Avengers; a few protests sparking the rise of anti-mutant reactionaries around cities like Washington, D.C.; two-bit criminals and minor supervillains being taken care of by small-time heroes.

Although typical for her, Melissa shakes her head, thinking about more than the same issues plaguing the world. "Same old news, huh?"

After signing the Sokovia Accords, she starts to think about her decision, wondering if she made the right one. Despite her own past, she wonders if the Accords would be enough to quell a startling wave of chaos around the world.

However, as she looks at her phone and her picture with Mickey still etched in her mind, Melissa frowns, pushing her thoughts to the side. Her own personal demons creep into her mind once again.

' _Guess Mickey was up to something,'_ she ponders. _'Rogers was right. We can't sit back and let governments just dictate our actions.'_ Melissa gets up, pacing back and forth. _'Especially when people like that strange woman can just…pop through portals leading to other worlds. She's still out there!'_

Pent up and frustrated over the recent events in her life, she takes a moment to breathe, rubbing her face with her hands _._ Although Abe being around to comfort her would ease her worries, the fact that Mickey was still missing starts to make Melissa feel more uneasy.

And suddenly, Melissa takes her phone, listening to a song Mickey recommended to her. Despite her not being a fan of the genre, she hums the chorus, resonating with the lyrics. _"With every worthless word we get more far away…and nothing's ever promised tomorrow today…"_

Tapping her fingers, Melissa thinks about her conversations with Mickey as she smiles. ' _That woman and her stable of goons damn near destroyed the Triskelion before HYDRA did. …She knows something. And I'll bet my ass someone helped her.'_

Melissa cranes her head after hearing old footage of the Avengers fighting, chuckling sardonically at how much the world changed since that day. And suddenly, ruminating on that same motto that she adopted in the Thunderbolts, she gets an idea.

' _No one gets left behind.'_

"Screw it!" Melissa finally says, taking her phone.

Heading out the door, her face is fixed into a resolute expression, wiping the dry tears from her face. Stepping out of her apartment with her backpack, she focuses on the impossible…bringing Mickey back and finding out the cause of the chaos in the Triskelion years ago.

As she makes a call to a certain individual, Melissa holds on to the hug she shared with Mickey. _'Hold on, Mickey. You're not alone anymore.'_

Heading to a nearby alley, she channels her voice and summons her vibrant solid-sound wings, taking to the skies.

' _I'm coming for you…and I won't be alone either. …Come on, Clint.'_

* * *

 _ **Clint? She didn't mean that**_ _**Clint, right? Hmmmm. Meanwhile, what's the connection with the Secret Society and the Rising Tide? Who's the Rising Tide. And will Cammy and Mickey see some common ground? Or will one of them hit the floor? Wink.**_

_**Hold on, guys. The fists will fly next chapter on Marvel x Capcom: Black - the Calling!** _


	7. Ask About Me (Bonus Track)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's your favourite, back at it! Decided to give you guys a brief look into Mickey and a Street Fighter-style bio on him. Something to tide my lovely readers over, know what I'm sayin'? 
> 
> All of what you're going to see will play a factor in the story.
> 
> I'm just one Thicket, so I promise not to be a cricket! Less than 3. Stay tuned and later days.

**Name:** **Michaël 'Mickey' Villanueva**

 **Superhero Name: Soundclash** aka **Sidechain**

 **Birthplace:** Monterrey, Mexico (Raised in Jamaica, Queens, New York)

 **Age:** 25

 **Nationality:** German/Mexican-American

 **Height:** 6'3"

 **Weight:** (now) 200 lbs; 185 lbs

 **Eye Colour:** Blue (Red as Soundclash, White as Sidechain)

 **Hair Colour:** Brown w/ a black stripe (Red/Black as Soundclash, White/Pink as Sidechain)

 **Fighting Style:** 'Way of the Surging Fist' (capoeira, pro wrestling, and kickboxing) infused with sonic-based powers

 **Occupation:** Secret Agent

 **Alignment:** Chaotic Good

* * *

**Traits:**

**(As Mickey):** laid-back, eager, clever, wise, moody, emotional, a tad hot-headed, and a wise-ass

 **(As Soundclash):** brash, bold, confident, competitive, violent as hell, arrogant, and a HUGE wise-ass

 **(As Sidechain):** driven, powerful, combat-tested, noble, friendly, a bit sassy, and totally cool...and a _little_ bit of a wise-ass

 **Powers:** Sound Manipulation (more TBA)

 **Abilities:** Expert martial artist, novice free-runner and budding music producer

* * *

 **Friends:** Melissa Gold/Songbird, Sakura, Decapre, Ryu, Rashid, Ed, Falke, Ava Ayala/White Tiger

 **Rivals:** Kolin, Urien, Gill, Balrog, Akuma, Cammy (Friendly?), Chun-Li (Friendly), Guile (Friendly), Alex (Friendly), Tony Stark/Iron Man (friendly), Jeanne Foucault/Finesse (Friendly)

 **Likes:** His dog Elvira, his idol and mentor Songbird, Decapre, music (namely EDM and hip-hop), his old crew, his friends (mainly Sakura), pro wrestling, martial arts, freerunning, sneakers, teasing Cammy, a nice steak dinner, elaborate heists

 **Dislikes:** The Secret Society (but mainly Kolin and her arrogance), hilariously evil people, arrogant people, Soundclash (sometimes), failing to be a hero, spaghetti and meatballs, lousy bank robbers, and Cammy giving him crap

* * *

**Bio:**

Growing up in the streets of Jamaica, Queens, Michaël 'Mickey' Villanueva is a young man with an interesting past.

From receiving his powers due to a near-death experience to rolling with a group of notorious bank robbers, his reputation preceded his otherwise friendly and very loud personality. Co-creator and second-in-command of _**Las Calaveras**_ \- the Skulls - he became known for his martial arts and his shrewd but creative use of his power of sound manipulation.

After powers caused friction in his family, Mickey's life was wild and pretty much on the path of self-destruction. It wasn't until he had a fateful encounter with his idol - a superhero named Songbird - that his life changed. Through Songbird's 'unique' brand of tutelage and encouragement, Mickey was given the opportunity to turn his life around, recruited to a powerful intelligence agency of heroes.

S.H.I.E.L.D.

Mickey's latest mission is to recover a mysterious and powerful artifact, stolen and taken to another dimension. Assisting with the fall of Shadaloo from the shadows, he is one of the very few people to know about the Secret Society. A sinister organization bent on world domination, they're led by the tyrannical Gill, a being of pure power. In order to prevent Gill and the Society from plunging both worlds into chaos, Mickey seeks to enlist the help of fighters willing to assist him.

Like his mentor Songbird, Mickey has the latent ability to manipulate sound in various, stunning ways. However, his secret weapons are his acrobatic, hand-to-hand skills and his loyal beagle, Elvira.

* * *

 **V-Skill: _Slave to the Riddim_** \- Mickey channels his aggressive emotions into battle at will, changing into his more violent form: Soundclash. As Soundclash, Mickey's martial arts skills are backed by vibrations coursing through his muscles, granting a boost to his normals and close-range special moves. They're faster, more effective, and cause a bit more damage. However, his projectiles and ranged specials aren't available as Soundclash.

 **V-Reversal: _Drift Away -_** Mickey uses Sonoportation, a personal technique that allows him to teleport as waves of sonic energy. Like a mist, he avoids contact by slipping through his opponent.

 **V-Trigger** **I** : _**The Gold Standard**_ \- "Time to show ya what my mentor taught me!"

Armed with his powers, combat training from S.H.I.E.L.D., and the bond he has with the entity and Songbird, Mickey concentrates and becomes one with both the entity and his sound powers. Channelling his mentor, his hair becomes white and pink and becomes the powerful Sidechain.

As Sidechain, Mickey can utilize his signature attack, **La Gota** , to devastating effect. In this state, he can fire two blasts instead of one, both on the ground and in mid-air. He also wields the **Crossfade Counter** , a safeguard that makes his movements quicker than the untrained - and even the trained - eye. Through a successful Crossfade Counter, Mickey can launch the opponent in the air to set up lethal combos.

 **V-Trigger II** : _**It**_ _ **Takes Two**_ \- "Let's crush this, Elvira! (bark)"

Despite being eager as ever in a fight, Mickey doesn't fight alone. With his lovable stray beagle Elvira, both her and Mickey can fight as a duo. Mickey can call on Elvira to stun her opponents with growls and barks, keeping his zoning game intact. He can also use Ellie to run wild, turning her loose on her prey.

In this state, he can also use some of his pro wrestling knowledge, punishing cocky opponents that want to scrap up close. He uses some pro wrestling grappling moves including his finisher, E.D.M. (Elevated Death Machine).

 **Critical Art:** _**La Gota VIP**_ \- "You're in my _raaaange_."/ "La Gota... VIP!" or "You just got...sidechained!" (as Sidechain)/"Gotta work on my damn catchphrase..."

With an acrobatic flair, Mickey spin-kicks the top of his opponent's head. Transforming into Sidechain, he alters his speed to incredible levels, summoning hundreds of Las Gotas behind the opponent before his opponent can even blink. Satisfied, he moves faster than the eye can see, dropkicking his opponent and hurling them to and around the globes of energy. It detonates in a flourish as Mickey kicks himself over his bad trash-talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next full chapter's gonna be a liiiiiittle different.
> 
> Hope you enjoy... ;)

**Author's Note:**

> As always, feedback and/or criticism is always welcome. Be excellent to each other, Stay Golden, and of course...
> 
> Later days. - Thicket


End file.
